Bangkok (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen.Nguyen Van Thanh is leading a delegation to attend a high-level regionalconference themed “Synchronising Trade and Security Plans in Support of ASEAN2025” which kicked off in Bangkok on April 3.

The two-day event, jointly held by the Thaigovernment and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has attractedthe participation of ministers and senior officials from ASEAN member statesand several dialogue partners who are expected to discuss issues related toborder management in order to handle important security challenges during the region’seconomic expansion process.

In his opening remarks, Thai Prime MinisterPrayut Chan-ocha stressed that over the past few years, Thailand and otherregional nations have detected many cases involving drug smuggling andcross-border crimes.

Therefore, a common strategy on borderprotection will help strengthen the stability and security of the region, thusfacilitating the development and border trade growth, he stated.

Participants agreed that with a totalpopulation of nearly 650 million, ASEAN is one of the largest economiccommunities in the world and that it has carried out a number of initiatives todevelop border trade.

However, these initiatives can createloopholes for illegal trading and trans-national crime activities, which poses achallenge for ASEAN and its members to build common strategies and mechanismsto solve the issue.

Speaking at the event, Thanh appreciatedthe organisation of the conference. He informed participants of Vietnam’sefforts to ensure security in border areas with ASEAN member states.

He said that cross-border crimes, includingthose related to drug and commodity smuggling, human trafficking, hightechnology, terrorism, and piracy, are threatening stability and trade,economic and investment development in the region in general and in Vietnam inparticular.

He stressed the need for ASEAN membercountries to coordinate more closely to effectively fight these crimes.

The Vietnamese official also maderecommendations to control cross-border crimes, such as completing the legaldocument system, stepping up information sharing, intensifying cooperation withASEAN’s dialogue partners, and organising workshops to share experience in thisfield.

As an active and responsible member ofASEAN, Vietnam commits to participating in all of the bloc’s cooperationframeworks, including those in trans-national crime prevention and control.

During his stay in Thailand, DeputyMinister of Public Security Thanh also met UNODC Director for Operations MiwaKato, Secretary-General of the National Security Council of Thailand Gen. WanlopRugsanaoh, and Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police Gen. ChakthipChaijinda. –VNA