On 21 July 2025, H.E. Dr. Lalivan Karnchanachari, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, delivered opening remarks at the official launch of the Regional Capacity Building Workshop of the eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN (eYAA) Programme: Cohort 5, held at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. The event was attended by approximately 120 youth representatives from ASEAN Member States.

In her remarks, the Vice Minister stressed the importance of youth in ASEAN community building. She also expressed appreciation to the ASEAN Foundation, Maybank, and the Maybank Foundation for organising the programme, which stands as a model of public–private–civil society collaboration. In line with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the programme contributes to promoting civic-mindedness and youth participation in regional community-building through grassroots initiatives in arts and culture, community empowerment, education, and environmental protection. In addition, Mr. Suwit Mangkhala, Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN in Jakarta, participated as a speaker at the Fireside Chat on “ASEAN 101.”

The eYAA Programme has been implemented since 2018 through collaboration between the ASEAN Foundation and the Maybank Foundation, with the objective of providing ASEAN youth opportunities to contribute to community development projects across 7 ASEAN Member States.