Thailand takes the lead as ASEAN Chair for 2019

As of the 1^st January 2019, Thailand has been declared as the official ASEAN Chair for the year 2019. The theme for Thailand’s chairmanship term is: ‘Advancing Partnership for Sustainability’ wherein the Kingdom hopes to develop an ASEAN community that is people-centred and inclusive for all, looking to the future collectively. During this period, Thailand will be playing host to its ASEAN partners for approximately 180-meetings and events at various levels.

With assuming the chair for the year, Thailand’s image as an architect for ASEAN policies has been strongly reinforced. In recognition of the theme, it is expected that the ASEAN region as a whole will employ technological advances from the 4^thIndustrial Revolution, thereby ‘advancing’ as an aggressive force in a positive fashion. The ‘partnership’ angle will come from co-operation between ASEAN dialogue partners as well as the international community, with a focus on the ‘ASEAN Plus One’ concept, further highlighting the crucial role that the ASEAN will play on the international stage in terms of tackling global issues. In terms of ‘sustainability;’ it is hoped that the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue will soon be established, as it will be the platform for the ASEAN to discuss sustainable development with other nations.

As one of the Kingdom’s premier event organisers, N.C.C. International Events Company Limited (NCCIE) has been accorded the honour to organise meetings for two major ministries, namely, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce. NCCIE has achieved rapid growth within a relatively short period by positioning itself in accordance with the key policies of Thai governmental organizations. It has efficiently and productively conducted various MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) events both within Thailand as well as on the international stage and regularly exhibits at key trade fairs.

Some of these functions for both the ministries have already been successfully concluded, such as the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat 1 for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held from the 16-18 January at Chiang Mai. Other events that were recently conducted for the Ministry of Commerce included the fourth intersessional ASEAN Caucus meeting  of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership – Trade Negotiating Committee  (4^th Intersessional ASEAN Caucus RCEP-TNC) between 12 – 13 January; the thirteenth meeting of the ASEAN Trade Facilitation Joint Consultative Committee during 12-13 January; the  Special Session on the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the 14^th January; the ninth meeting of the Committee of the Whole for the ASEAN Economic Community during 14-15 January; the sixteenth Cambodia – Lao PDR – Myanmar – Viet Nam Senior Economic Officials’ meeting on the 16^th January and the first meeting of the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials for the Fiftieth ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (SEOM 1/50) between 16 – 18 January, all of which were held in Bangkok.