The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs showcased strengths of Thailand’s northeastern (Isan) provinces to become key players in the country’s supply chain and in the global market in the ‘Local to Global: Visions of Isan’ event, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with relevant agencies with participation of the private sector from six provinces in Isan, namely Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Roi Et, Mahasarakham, Nong Khai, and Mukdahan.

On 2 April 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Ministry of Interior and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, co-hosted ‘Local to Global: Visions of Isan’ at Vithes Samosorn, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event consisted of a seminar and a reception.

‘Local to Global: Visions of Isan’ event is the initiative of H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to showcase strengths of local private sector and SMEs in Northeastern provinces or Isan namely Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Roi Et, Mahasarakham, Nong Khai, and Mukdahan, serving as the platform to propel the region to become key players in the country’s supply chains and in the global market with a focus on sustainable tourism, globalising products, and inspiring innovations of Isan.

Mr. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presided the hybrid seminar to share knowledge and experience from panelists including Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nirat Phongsittithavorn, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior, Ministry of Interior, H.E. Mr. Pisanu Suvanajata, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Kingdom, as well as representatives from the National Innovation Agency, the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, the Creative Economy Agency, and the Export-Import Bank of Thailand, on equipping businesses with the necessary tools especially in the post COVID-19 setting.

The seminar concluded that linkage between demands and local products, a new narrative in line with global interests such as sustainability and environment, marketing and digitalisation to create more access to markets like e-commerce, making uses of Thai government agencies abroad or Team Thailand, and adopting innovation and new technology to add values into products and services are keys to success for local potentials in the global markets.

During the seminar, representatives of the internationally successful local entrepreneurs from the Isan region namely Siam Tech Farm, a processed crickets protein producer, Local Alike Co., Ltd, a local sustainable tourism service provider, and Khon Kaen City Development Co., Ltd, an urban developer, shared experiences on business operations based on local knowledge by using technology and innovation to raise standards and add value to their products and services.

During the opening ceremony of the reception, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, invited members of the diplomatic corps, trade representatives, and foreign chambers in Thailand to converse with representatives from the six provinces of Isan and view the Isan products and services on display in the exhibition booths. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated the Ministry’s readiness to coordinate with the provinces on cooperation to create concrete partnerships in trade, investment, innovation and tourism between the provinces and foreign countries.

In addition to exhibition booths from the six provinces, the event presented cultural performance and contemporary Northeastern music as well as the demonstration of Isan food, presenting local identity along with creativity.

Activities in the event ‘Local to Global: Visions of Isan’ aims to present the Visions of Isan, which is in line with the government's vision to connect local potentials through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to build a bridge of local thinking to the global markets. For more information about Local to Global: Visions of Isan, please visit www.thailocaltoglobal.com.