Bangkok, August 23, 2024 — Thailand has announced the postponement of the much-anticipated 5th BIMSTEC Summit, originally scheduled for September 3-4, 2024, due to challenges associated with the formation of the new government. The summit, set to take place in Bangkok, would have gathered leaders from the seven-member states of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
According to a high-level government source who requested anonymity, the decision to postpone was taken this afternoon after a meeting between Thailand’s newly appointed Prime Minister Paetongthan Shinawatra and caretaker Foreign Minister Maris Sagiamsongsa. The source indicated that “technical issues in forming the new Cabinet” were the primary reason for the delay.
Thailand, currently chairing BIMSTEC, had confirmed the summit schedule as of yesterday. However, with the ongoing political transition following the removal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin by Thailand’s Constitutional Court on August 14, the new leadership found it necessary to defer the summit to a later date.
BIMSTEC, established in 1997 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration, serves as a crucial platform connecting South and Southeast Asia. Its member states—Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal—had all confirmed their participation in the two-day event, which was expected to be a significant forum for discussing regional cooperation in trade, technology, energy, and other key sectors.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the confirmed attendees, with plans for an official visit to Thailand ahead of the summit on September 3. The event was also set to be the first international engagement for Bangladesh’s interim head of government, Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus. A bilateral meeting between Modi and Yunus was anticipated on the summit’s sidelines.
BIMSTEC has gained increased importance in recent years, particularly for India, which views the organization as a viable alternative to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), currently hindered by India-Pakistan tensions. The summit was expected to advance discussions on enhancing regional cooperation and fostering a spirit of equality and partnership among member states.
As the new Thai government continues to form its Cabinet, the rescheduled date for the summit remains uncertain. The postponement reflects the complexities of domestic political transitions in Thailand and their impact on the country’s ability to fulfill its international obligations. The regional bloc and its member states now await further announcements from Bangkok regarding the future of the summit.
