From left: Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attend the opening session of the ASEAN Future Forum alongside other ASEAN leaders in Hanoi, June 9, 2026. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre
Hanoi, known as the city for peace, once again lived up to its title by serving as the venue where the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand conveyed messages of reconciliation.
The presence of both prime ministers at the ASEAN Future Forum on Tuesday not only drew the attention of international observers but also highlighted ASEAN’s ability to create a space where parties involved in disputes can engage in dialogue.
At the forum, Cambodian PM Hun Manet underscored the importance of Cambodia–Thailand relations and said both sides were committed to resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with the 2025 Joint Declaration and international law.
He also thanked the international community and ASEAN member states for supporting efforts that led to a ceasefire agreement.
In response, Thai PM Anutin said the two countries were at a critical juncture that could shape the future of coming generations and the destiny of both nations.
He called for joint efforts to overcome challenges and open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on the sidelines of the event, Professor Yves Tiberghien from the University of British Columbia in Canada described the simultaneous appearance of the two prime ministers as “very strong and powerful.”
He said both leaders delivered remarks that were “very polite and peace-oriented” and noted that they shared many common interests.
“Through the remarks, they mostly share common interests on almost everything, and there’s an intention to help solve issues,” he said.
According to Tiberghien, the event demonstrated a unique advantage of ASEAN, which can continuously create opportunities for leaders to engage in dialogue, a key foundation for building peace.
He said the ASEAN Future Forum is one of the few platforms today that bring together positive ideas, proposed norms, and practical mechanisms for cooperation.
“The ASEAN Future Forum emphasized long-term thinking and regional cooperation. To ensure a stable and peaceful future for the next generation, there should be more innovative mechanisms to converge interests, foster cooperation, increase sharing among youth, promote academic exchange, and further shape a common identity,” he said.
At the global level, Tiberghien said ASEAN’s efforts to build its own center of gravity could help it withstand pressure from major powers and generate positive influence.
Professor Kuik Cheng Chwee from the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, National University of Malaysia, spotlighted ASEAN’s central role in bringing regional stakeholders together and insisted on making use of the bloc’s mechanisms to address conflicts.
According to him, the ASEAN Future Forum is one such mechanism.
To reduce the risk of disputes escalating, ASEAN needs to make use of multiple instruments simultaneously.
Regional institutions such as ASEAN+3, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the East Asia Summit provide platforms for continuous interaction among countries with different interests.
Official diplomacy and Track 1.5 channels help enhance mutual understanding and reduce the risk of misunderstandings, while economic interdependence reinforces incentives for maintaining peace.
