Ambassador Catherine Wong's Interview with Matichon Weekly, 22 and 29 November 2024

AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG’S INTERVIEW WITH MATICHON WEEKLY

PART I AND II

22 NOVEMBER 2024 AND 29 NOVEMBER 2024

1. What were the choices and circumstances that led you to become a diplomat? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG:               I have always been intrigued by the workings of diplomacy and international relations.  I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs fresh out of university as I was lured by the appeal of overseas postings as a chance to see and experience the world.  After 29 years, my passion for diplomacy remains. The rigour of political and economic analysis, being able to contribute to the making of foreign policy, and getting to be on the frontline of diplomacy are what has kept me in this career.  It also helps that the foreign service provides regular rotations to different assignments and so the job doesn’t ever get dull and there is always something new to learn and experience.    .     .    .    .     .  

2. Thailand and Singapore have enjoyed cordial and friendly relations ever since the diplomatic relations were established on 20 September 1965. How do you see this partnership in present day and age? 

3. What is an example of our bilateral relationship? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG: Thailand is one of Singapore’s oldest friends, having established relations shortly after our independence in 1965. We share a warm and deep relationship based on mutual interests and underpinned by good political and institutional links, regular exchanges, and substantive cooperation.  Our countries work well together. There is longstanding cooperation that spans a wide spectrum such as defence, education, and people-to-people ties. Our economic relationship is strong, substantive, and underscored by multi-faceted cooperation in diversified sectors. Our growing trade and investment links reflect the trajectory of our overall bilateral relationship. For instance, Singapore and Thailand have always been among each other’s top 10 trading partners. Singapore is also consistently one of Thailand’s largest foreign investors.     Although the relationship is mature, there is still much potential for both countries to deepen our mutually beneficial ties. That is why Singapore continues to actively explore collaboration in new and emerging areas with Thailand, including in the digital economy, carbon credits, sustainability, and clean energy.  One recent area of increased cooperation is in finance. In 2021, Singapore and Thailand established the world’s first real-time payment system linkage, between Singapore’s PayNow and Thailand’s PromptPay. This allows customers of participating banks in Singapore and Thailand to transfer funds across the two countries using just a mobile number.  The collaboration has laid the groundwork for Singapore and Thailand to pursue fast and convenient cross-border payments with other countries in ASEAN and beyond. Following the Singapore-Thailand linkage, Singapore has gone on to establish payment linkages with four more countries – India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. As the world continues to evolve and new challenges emerge, it is all the more important for Singapore and Thailand to work together closely to explore innovative solutions.    .     .     .     .     .  

4. What are the foreign policies of Singapore under Lawrence Wong, Singapore’s fourth prime minister? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG: Singapore’s foreign policy has always been anchored on a realistic assessment of our unique circumstances and national interests.  We take a long-term view and there is continuity in our policies. Singapore is a small country with no hinterland and no natural resources. These geographical realities remain the same, regardless of the changes in Singapore’s political leadership. As our Foreign Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, laid out earlier this year, our foreign policy adheres to three principles. First, to protect Singapore’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Second, to secure our access to essential supplies and to keep air and sea lanes of communication open. Third, to expand our economic opportunities and maintain Singapore’s relevance to the world. In its application, we consistently advocate for a rules-based order and full respect for international law. We also seek to maintain common cause with as many partners as possible. These fundamental tenets of Singapore’s foreign policy have gained greater salience because of the many geopolitical headwinds confronting us today, including major power tensions and conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.  At a more personal level, Prime Minister Wong will bring his own style to diplomacy and the conduct of international relations. He is making his introductory visits to all our Southeast Asian neighbours, including Thailand. During his recent visit to Malaysia, he highlighted that a core priority for him was to cement trust between him and his Malaysian counterpart. His key point was that countries could get many things done when trust exists between their leaders. I expect such considerations to factor largely in his subsequent visits. We are hoping for Prime Minister Wong to make an introductory visit to Thailand in early 2025, in conjunction with the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries.  .     .     .     .     . 

5. What is the Singapore-Thailand Exchange Program (STEP)? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG: The Singapore–Thailand Exchange Program (STEP) was established in 1997 to set a broad vision for a long-term strategic partnership between our two countries. Just one year later in 1998, the Singapore–Thailand Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP) was created to institutionalise civil service exchanges. Since then, CSEP has served as the main platform for bilateral exchanges and enabled many government agencies from both countries to come together to cooperate.  The 14^th CSEP recently took place in June 2024 in Bangkok. Singapore’s Foreign Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, led a delegation of about 30 officials from different ministries and agencies to Bangkok for the meeting. It was a productive and successful visit. Both sides committed to do more and collaborate in new and emerging areas, such as sustainable development, green economy, and food security, among others.  Singapore places great importance on CSEP. It plays a key role in strengthening the institutional and personal links between the Singapore and Thai Civil Services. It creates space for conversations and mutual collaboration, as well as promotes greater understanding between both sides.  .     .     .     .     .  

6. Do you set goals in your work? Are there things you would like to see Singapore accomplish during your term as Ambassador? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG:               As Singapore’s Ambassador to Thailand, I am the top marketer, promoter, and vocal advocate of Singapore and our national interests! My team at the Embassy and I focus on profiling, managing, and promoting our nation’s interest and Singapore’s branding in Thailand.  Core to this goal would be to forge closer ties between our two countries. I mentioned earlier some of the broad areas I am keen to advance in my tenure, such as sustainable development, food security, and clean energy cooperation. Beyond these, I am personally interested in forging stronger education links between our two countries as I believe that this will help promote goodwill and mutual understanding among our young people.   Singapore and Thailand share close and longstanding education ties. Our respective education ministries have multiple exchanges and collaborations, including school twinning programmes and cultural exchanges. Beyond exchanges at the government level, over 70 Singapore schools have initiated and established partnerships with Thai counterpart schools as well.  I’m heartened by the strong partnerships between schools and education institutions in both countries. These student exchanges and school partnerships help to forge closer people-to-people ties at an early age. I believe that it is vital that our youths have opportunities to interact with each other and forge mutual understanding. To highlight another example, Singapore’s Ministry of Education has since 1998 offered ASEAN scholarships for students from Thailand and other ASEAN Member States to study in Singapore.  There is always room to deepen cooperation in the education sphere. We are keen for our students to deepen their engagement with Thailand. We will continue to encourage education institutions in both countries to further collaboration in staff and student exchanges, internship programmes, and joint research. .     .     .     .     .  

7. Considering all your responsibilities, do you manage to find any free time for your hobbies & interests? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG:               Taking care of my two French Bulldogs – Murphy and Bella – consume the bulk of my time outside of the office. These two ‘furkids’ join me from my previous posting in Hanoi. I enjoy bringing them on walks to explore new and interesting spots in Bangkok, and am pleasantly surprised by the many pet-friendly cafés and amenities in the city. By the way, you can catch glimpses of Murphy and Bella on the Singapore Embassy’s social media pages!               As a new resident in Bangkok, I am also looking forward to exploring all the wonderful food and cultural sights that the city has to offer as well as to visit the other provinces and cities of Thailand. .     .     .     .     .  

8. How is life as an ambassador to Thailand different from any other posting? 

9. You arrived in Thailand almost a year, I assume you have had the chance to know people and places. What is your impression? What do you think of Thailand and its people? Do you have already any favourite things? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG:               Thailand is a beautiful and blessed country of abundance. From the busy cityscape of Bangkok to peaceful mountains and verdant forests in the North, white sandy beaches with crystal clear waters in the South to the rich cultural heritage and spicy food of Isaan, it is no wonder that Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world. In my six months here, I have experienced first-hand the world-renowned Thai hospitality and found Thai people to be big-hearted, generous, and genuinely warm, especially after they get over their initial shyness. And like many Singaporeans who are foodies, I enjoy Thai food and look forward to trying the specialities of different regions in Thailand. .     .     .     .     .  

10. What has been the best moment of your career so far? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG:               It is difficult to pinpoint just one moment because there have been many memorable moments over the years and with every posting and assignment. For instance, being able to witness and experience firsthand the historic Handover of Hong Kong and Macau in my first posting in Hong Kong in the late 1990s; being able to represent Singapore as a young delegate to the United Nations General Assembly; handling crises and helping Singaporeans in distress in my role as the Director-General of the Consular Directorate; and being appointed Ambassador for the first time in Hanoi. I have no doubt that my stint in Thailand will also provide me with memorable moments. .     .     .     .     .  

11. What makes you most proud when you think of Singapore? AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG:               Singapore is a multi-racial, multi-religious country organised on the basis of meritocracy. We endeavour to treat everyone equally without prejudice and discrimination. Majority and minority communities can integrate even as they have space to maintain their identities and practice their faiths and customs. Singapore has worked hard to maintain this delicate balance. A related and important point is that every Singaporean has opportunities to succeed regardless of who they are or where they came from. There are numerous headwinds and tensions between communities in the world today. Against such a backdrop, it is no small feat that we have managed to maintain our diversity on the one hand, and remain peaceful and harmonious on the other. This is a point of pride for me.  .     .     .     .     .  

12. What would you like to point out to conclude this interview?

AMBASSADOR CATHERINE WONG:

I should conclude by highlighting that the bilateral relationship between Singapore and Thailand is broad-based and multi-faceted. This long-standing partnership is built on mutual respect, close people-to-people ties, and a commitment to advancing our common goals in the region.

We have pursued cooperation across multiple sectors in order to benefit both our peoples. Some of these areas have even been groundbreaking. I mentioned the PromptPay and PayNow linkage earlier, which was the first of its kind in the world. More recently, Singapore and Thailand also launched the Thailand-Singapore Depository Receipt (DR) Linkage, which is the first exchange-level DR cooperation in ASEAN. This initiative makes it easy for investors in Thailand and Singapore to buy and sell securities via a DR through their local broker arrangements and in their local currency. The shares of several publicly listed Thai companies and Singapore companies are already available to be bought and sold on our respective countries’ stock exchanges. I hope many more will be available to investors in our two countries in the days ahead. I also hope this can be a pathfinder for a more integrated and accessible ASEAN stock exchange market.

But we cannot rest on our laurels. We are constantly searching for new areas and ways to work together, in order to keep both our nations ahead of the ever-evolving challenges of this world.

Next year, Thailand and Singapore will celebrate the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Thailand was, in fact, one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Singapore after independence. To commemorate this milestone in our relationship, the Singapore Embassy is planning several events, which I hope our friends in Thailand will be able to join us. This milestone is also an opportunity for us to refresh the relationship. I look forward to both sides announcing new areas of collaboration, to continue the upward trajectory of our ties.     

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