Your Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III,
President of the Republic of the Philippines

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, I wish to extend a very warm welcome to Your Excellency and the members of the Philippine delegation to Thailand. Your Excellency's visit will not only strengthen the longstanding friendship and cordial ties between our two countries, but also reaffirm the shared commitment to multi-faceted cooperation in confronting common problems and challenges.

2. There can be no doubt that the relationship between the Philippines and Thailand is based on a strong and stable foundation. We are founding members of ASEAN and our two countries share a natural affinity, based on a strong commitment to democracy, justice, rule of law and other common values.

3. Our close and cordial relations are reinforced by regular exchanges of high-level visits, research and development cooperation and sharing of information. This close collaboration also extends to the private sector, as reflected in our substantial bilateral trade and investment. In 2010, the value of our bilateral trade rose to 7.26 billion US dollars, an 84% increase from 2009 and almost quadrupling the volume in 2002. The Philippines has become Thailand's 4th major trading partner in ASEAN and our 15th largest trading partner worldwide.

4. In addition to our economic ties, I believe that people-to-people contacts represent another vital cornerstone and fundamental component of our connectivity, which will in turn contribute to the greater ASEAN Community. Indeed, our collaboration has expanded and has been further strengthened by the efforts we have been making to address the common global challenges facing us today, which range from food security to climate change, from pandemics and natural disasters to transnational crimes. Even the political turmoil in other parts of the world has unavoidably pushed energy security to the forefront of our agenda.

Your Excellency, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

5. I am very pleased that our discussion today was fruitful and constructive on a wide range of issues, from bilateral cooperation, such as in trade, investment, energy and education, to those that are regional and international in scope. The revival of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation will ensure that our efforts will be concrete and mutually beneficial. We have also discussed today how to enhance regional connectivity and how to formulate a common strategy in maintaining ASEAN centrality, towards sustainable growth and development, as we move closer to the ASEAN Community in 2015. Thailand is committed to continuing this collaboration and will always remain your true friend and partner.

6. But let me also mention a bit of history and legacy. In 1973, Your Excellency's late father Senator Ninoy Aquino, wrote a letter to you while a political prisoner, ending with the immortal and inspirational words -- "Son, the ball is now in your hands". The legacy of President Corazon Aquino, your mother, also lives on as a beacon of democracy not only for the Philippines, but also for the world.

7. Today, there are, clearly, high hopes for both the Philippines and Thailand to strengthen the commitment to democracy, human rights, good governance, and transparency, and to maximize our efforts in the fight against corruption. In the context of Philippine-Thai relations, there is the opportunity for us to join hands to elevate our relations and evolve our close collaboration to an ever more vibrant partnership with concrete results that benefit both our countries. With stronger mechanisms and new agreements on the line, there is a new dawn for our relations, and indeed, the "ball is in our hands".

8. May I now invite all of you to join me in a toast to the cordial "ties beyond times" between the people of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of the Philippines, and to the good health and continued success of President Benigno S. Aquino III. Thank you, Kob Kun Krub and Mabuhay (มาบูไฮ).