On 18 May 2026, H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, was invited by H.E. Mr. Gerhard Eisl, Ambassador of Austria to Malaysia, to attend a dinner discussion with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alfred Gerstl, President of the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS), along with members of the diplomatic corps in Malaysia and Malaysian academics at Malai Thai Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur.

 

On this occasion, Ambassador Lada exchanged views on the global geopolitical situation, Thailand–European Union (EU) relations, and Thailand’s perspectives on ASEAN–EU cooperation, particularly the 3Rs: “Regionalism, Resilience and Relevance.” Thailand and ASEAN stand ready to cooperate with the EU in addressing emerging challenges that have direct impacts on people and economies, especially cyber-enabled crimes and online scams.

 

Earlier, on 14 May 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alfred Gerstl delivered a lecture entitled “Navigating Great Power Politics: De-risking and Hedging as Pragmatic Strategies for the EU and ASEAN” at the Asia-Europe Institute (AEI), Universiti Malaya (UM). In his lecture, he underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation between the EU and ASEAN as “natural partners.” He also viewed that closer relations, particularly in the economic and political dimensions, would contribute to maintaining the strategic autonomy of both the EU and ASEAN amid evolving geopolitical dynamics and changes in the global order.

 

CEIAS is an independent think tank established in 2007 in Slovakia. It is currently a transnational think tank with main branches in Bratislava, Slovakia; Prague, Czechia; and Vienna, Austria. CEIAS focuses on Europe–Asia relations and developments in the Indo-Pacific region.