Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has emphasized the need for ASEAN to adapt in order to better respond to the needs and genuine participation of its peoples, in line with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Mr. Sihasak on 5 October 2025 delivered a keynote address at the closing ceremony of the ASEAN for the Peoples Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, organized by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia under the theme “Advancing People-Centered ASEAN.” The conference brought together more than 200 civil society organizations across ASEAN to advance the vision of a people-centered ASEAN.

In his address, Foreign Minister Sihasak said, “ASEAN must adapt with the changing times. To remain relevant, our peoples need an ASEAN that is strong, resilient, and fit for purpose. An ASEAN that does not only preserve peace and stability among nations but delivers tangible benefits to the daily lives of its citizens.”

The Foreign Minister also outlined three key priorities: (1) sustaining peace and security in the ASEAN region, while taking into account broader dimensions, such as human security, (2) enhancing quality of life through sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and (3) advancing people-centered development and citizen participation in the ASEAN process, supported by mechanisms, such as the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).

He said, “As we look ahead, the future of ASEAN will not be written by governments alone. It will be shaped by all of us. If ASEAN is to be truly for the peoples, then we must work together. Governments must listen more. Civil society must continue to bring ideas and energy. Communities must find strength in our diversity, and young people must feel that ASEAN is theirs to shape. 

“My call to action today is simple: let us make ASEAN matter in people’s daily lives. This conference gives us a good momentum. But we must not only talk the talk, we must walk the walk as well — turning dialogue into concrete action, and vision into reality. 

“If we can do this, ASEAN will become not only a community of nations, but a genuine community of peoples.”