Closing Address by Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Democrat Party, Thailand H.E. Chuan Leekpai 

Ladies and Gentlemen, even though you have spent two days deliberating, I want to say "Sawasdee Krub" and welcome you once again, as a person who is a host in this conference as well. It is my great pleasure to see old friends, politicians and people who I respect. And it is a great honor and pleasure to see new political friends who are here in this Conference. As most participants do not understand Thai, I therefore want to speak in English. 

(Speaking in English) 

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests and Participants,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

I feel truly privileged to be invited to address the closing session of this distinguished gathering of party leaders and statesmen. Your presence at this conference symbolizes the growing solidarity and dialogue among Asian political parties. This is especially remarkable if we realize that even at home today we rarely have dialogue with one another. The dialogue we have been holding during the past two days is thus highly significant for both its domestic and external implications. 

Our expanding solidarity is also important at the time when Asia is at a critical junction. We are already witnessing the emergence of a new and stronger Asia after the financial and economic crises of the late 1990s. However, we are at the same time facing many common challenges, and I believe that a key to our future lies in the extent to which Asian political parties adequately respond to these challenges. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Let me elaborate further on what we are now facing. Not very long ago, there was a belief that the turn of the millennium would bring with it a new world order - one that would usher in a new era of peace. There were high hopes that as our new generations witnessed the fall of the ideological divide in Europe, that same spirit would permeate through the other regions of the world. In Asia, which at that time was experiencing unprecedented growth, we hoped that the new millennium would truly signify a new and prosperous Asia-Pacific era. 

As we are all well aware that, the crises of the late 1990s shattered any hope of Asia becoming a new center of economic gravity. And just as we are slowly recovering from those crises, September 11 brought out a new course of history and might have permanently altered our perception of reality. Lately, with what happened in Bali, we in Asia, need, more than ever, to together examine the new realities that have become part of the common challenges we are facing. 

I am sure that we have learned many lessons during the past five years of economic and financial difficulties. As the head of the government in that difficult time I learned firsthand the pains of making adjustments to overcome those difficulties. I am nevertheless gratified to say that our efforts were not all in vain. With the support of the Thai people, our reform efforts have enabled Thailand to steadily proceed with recovery and revitalization. 

The lessons learned might help us chart our future. Let me mention one of them. The social impacts and hardships suffered by our people, in particular, caused serious doubt among many as to whether the path our region had taken to develop our economies was the right one. Nationalistic backlashes thus followed, and calls to look inward and build a fortress Asia were increasingly heard from within. Looking back, I believe that, faced with increasing pressures to turn inward, the leaders of Asia in general followed a right cause in remaining committed to necessary reforms and restructuring. They also keep alive what has distinguished Asia's successes in the past - the dynamism of the region as manifested in our entrepreneurial spirit, the willingness to remain open, competitive and engaged, while at the same time not ignoring the social and cultural aspects of change. And this has led us to where we are today, on a firm ground of recovery, structural reforms moving apace, effective governance being pursued. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

In looking to the future, it is crucial that we remain cognizant of Asia's potential and what it has accomplished in the past. Both our cultural and material endowments, as well as our past achievements, will form a real basis for our future. 

Asia is most notable for its diversity in almost every aspect - culture, ethnicity, political orientations, and others. It has also been most distinct as a region in which these vast differences have co-existed relatively peacefully. This is the essence of Asian culture as a force of moderation, and the cultural asset could prove to be crucial in a world that is now witnessing new tensions and conflicts. 

To build a firm basis for the future, Asia must of course be both materially and spiritually strong. However, it is in its cultural roots that Asian wisdom and spiritual strength lie. And in today's rapidly changing world it is these spiritual and cultural roots that could provide us with both direction and sense of purpose. Thus, while we accept the need to remain globally engaged, we must be firmly rooted in our values and identities. 

Our past achievements serve as additional assets. Despite the devastating blow we have received from the recent crises, we in Asia still have much to our credit. Substantial progress has been made in our economic recovery and reforms. Many other domains -from democratization to the environment - can also be mentioned in this regard. All these achievements, I must stress, constitute a necessary condition for further progress and prosperity. 

Real challenges, nevertheless, still remain. The economy remains volatile. Natural and human security is still being threatened. And natural resource depletion, in many parts of the continent, continues on a large scale. These are only part of the current regional situation, which I think you have already debated during the past two days. What I would like to note in particular in this closing remark is what the Asian political parties could do to contribute to further development of Asia. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Much like Asia's cultural diversity, Asian political parties represent vast differences ranging from structure to ideology. But while our national experiences are unique, I believe that all parties are now confronted with the same challenge as the political institution closest to the people - that is, how political parties can adjust themselves to be more responsive to the changing domestic and external situations. 

The new millennium has witnessed the growth of people's politics, especially in the form of widening popular participation and movements of various kinds. It is thus important that political parties be adequately equipped to address this new challenge. They need to revitalize themselves in all respects -from political platforms and orientations to organization. Moreover, there are both domestic and external conditions for the success and strength of political parties in this new era. Let me touch on only a few of these. 

To begin with, the parties themselves must be honest and forthright. As an institution, a political party must be both politically credible and morally trustworthy. Only then can we count on the support and active participation of our people. 

In Thailand, political parties have participated in the process of attaining a just and equitable society. Indeed, as a force of change for our society, Thai political parties have attached much importance to empowerment of the people - particularly by providing them with opportunities for realizing the full potential of their capabilities. 

Nevertheless, our parliamentary system under the current Constitution requires political parties, both in the government and in the Opposition, to play different roles and bear different responsibilities. Each side must realize its different duties and respect its different mandate, in particular, when it comes to providing the necessary check and balance as well as scrutinizing corrupt practices and wrongdoing. While understanding these differences, all political parties must strive to provide their best endeavors to the best interests of the country and its people. As the leader of the political party in Thailand, with the longest history of nearly 60 years, I understand the difficulties of political parties to sustain and survive the pressure from many challenges. These include military dictatorship, money politics and various forms of manipulations and monopolies. I, therefore, admire those parties that are able to obtain the trust of the people to a just and transparent process. 

On a region-wide scale, a community of political parties such as the one already taking shape in Asia will further enhance both party systems and efficiency of individual parties. I sincerely hope that the meeting of minds that is being forged through this International Conference of Asian Political Parties will be a force of change for both a new and stronger Asia and for a dynamic, clean and accountable party politics in this continent. 

As representatives of Asian political parties, we must realize that we are entrusted with a responsibility of leadership. We must appeal to their best instinct of individual responsibility, civic duties and public conscience. We must raise their aspirations for public goods rather than individual gains. And as representatives of the people, while we may not be able to make everyone equally well off, we must guarantee everyone equal opportunities and equality before the law. 

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Let me leave you with one last point. Asia in the past prospered because we were open and engaged with the world. Science, technology, commerce and the arts flowed in and out of our region in exchange with the rest of the world. We in Asia value cooperation and sharing. We have tried to avoid isolation and inward posturing. 

As you leave this Second Meeting of Asian Political Parties, I hope you will go forth with a sense of high purpose of cooperation based on a vision of open regionalism. 

Let's together pursue a vision of Asia in partnership with other regions, in competition with them, in cooperation with them, but never in isolation from them. 

Together, let's not limit our goal only for the prosperity of Asia, but also for the world as a whole. Let's aspire for a better world for all. 

Thank you. Sawasdee Krub.