Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to leave for Malaysia tonight, to attend the ASEAN Summit and to sign a joint declaration with Cambodia tomorrow.
The prime minister said that he has already notified the leaders of other ASEAN countries about the urgent matter that caused the sudden delay to his arrival in Malaysia.
The prime minister chaired an urgent cabinet meeting this morning to make arrangements for the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, who passed away last night in Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.
During the ASEAN Summit, the prime minister said he is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit tomorrow and is expected to fly back to Thailand tomorrow night.
President Trump will witness the signing of the joint declaration.
As for the APEC meeting in South Korea, the prime minster said he discussed this matter at the cabinet meeting and it was concluded that, if he cannot attend the meeting, he can assign Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow to represent Thailand on his behalf.
Stressing the importance of the APEC and bilateral meetings with some member countries on the sidelines, he said that he would attend the APEC meeting if he can manage the time and that he has already assigned Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn to serve as acting prime minister during his absence.
