BANGKOK — C asean, along with several partners, organized ASEAN Week 2024 to celebrate the 57th anniversary of ASEAN. The event, held from August 6 to 8 at the CW Tower Building on Ratchadaphisek Road, focused on the theme “Shaping the Future of Sustainable ASEAN.”
The event was a joint effort by C asean, the Department of ASEAN Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, ASEAN Association-Thailand, ASEAN Center for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD), and the ASEAN Studies Center at Chulalongkorn University. Thai Beverage Public Company Limited was the main sponsor.
Pisanu Suvanajata, Ambassador of C asean, spoke about the organization’s mission during ASEAN Week 2024. “C asean Center is a social enterprise founded 8 years ago to connect the people of ASEAN. We aim to foster conversations and collaboration for the betterment of the ASEAN community. Our work focuses on three key areas: arts and culture, leadership and talent development, and business and sustainability,” he said.
Pisanu highlighted the organization’s commitment to diverse partnerships, including those with government entities, corporations, academic institutions, entrepreneurs, artists, and youth leaders. He mentioned the C asean Forum (CaF), a series of events that brings together experts and enthusiasts to share knowledge, network, and collaborate on community challenges.
Regarding climate change, Pisanu noted, “As we face the global climate crisis, business operations have significantly impacted the environment, leading to numerous problems. To mitigate these effects, we must transform our supply chain paradigm through strategic green procurement. This approach will help ensure our long-term prosperity while balancing economic growth with environmental preservation.
Region Embraces Green Buying
The week kicked off by focusing on “Pioneering the Future of ASEAN Green Procurement.” This session brought together experts and leaders to discuss sustainable procurement strategies and their importance in combating climate change. Dr. Chuttree Phurat from the Thailand Environment Institute spoke on “Greening Thailand’s Public Procurement: Ecolabelling Integration,” highlighting the country’s efforts to integrate eco-friendly practices into public procurement.
Thailand has launched a plan to buy greener products, Dr. Chuttree said. The National Action Plan for Green Public Procurement started in 2022 and is set to run until 2027.
The plan aims to get government agencies, state firms, schools, and businesses to buy eco-friendly products. It also wants to boost the production of these items, Dr. Chuttree added. The government is now working to include the plan in its overall economic strategy. He highlighted Thailand’s efforts to incorporate eco-labels into public procurement.
Now Thailand has become one of the regional leaders in green procurement, with its Thailand Green Public Procurement and Thailand Green Label programs serving as models for other ASEAN countries.
Hari Ramalu Ragavan from Akar Asia Consulting, another key speaker, noted that Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia are making strides in green procurement. He stressed the importance of government agencies working together to meet these goals.
Ragavan highlighted both the challenges and opportunities of green procurement in ASEAN, with a particular focus on Malaysia’s expanding Government Green Procurement initiative, which now includes state and local authorities.
Despite these advancements, issues such as low awareness, poor reporting standards, and limited financial support remain. To address these challenges, greater collaboration, regional guidelines, and professional networks are crucial.
Humans Must Control AI
At the seminar on August 7, during the session on “AI Literacy: Challenges and Opportunities,” Asst. Prof. Yuen Poovarawan from the Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, emphasized the evolution from the digital age to the current artificial intelligence (AI) age. He pointed out that nearly thirty years ago, Japan led Asian countries in AI research starting in the 1990s. However, Japan’s early investments did not yield immediate success due to the slower maturation of computer technology at the time.
“AI was created by humans to mimic human abilities and assist in tasks where humans may be slower or impaired,” said Asst. Prof. Yuen. “It is a tool designed to help humans perform various tasks more easily.”
Addressing the debate on whether AI will replace human jobs, Asst. Prof. Yuen noted, “AI accelerates the production of various goods, leading to oversupply. While some argue that AI will replace humans, the reality is that we are in an era with vast amounts of data flow, making AI essential for data management.
AI, which relies on vast amounts of stored data, can be unpredictable,” Asst. Prof. Yuen explained. “It’s good for generating ideas because everyone has different backgrounds and knowledge. When we combine our ideas with AI, they can become broader. However, we must be careful with AI in daily life. For emotional or deep opinions, AI still can’t match human detail. So, we need to use AI cautiously in some areas.”
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