The 1st Mekong-ROK Business Forum was held on 23 May 2013 at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World. It was organized under the umbrella of the Mekong-ROK Cooperation by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) of Thailand and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).  Almost 100 participants from the public and private sectors of the ROK and the Mekong countries (i.e., Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam) attended the trade and investment promotion event.

Mr. Pichet Wangtepanukhor, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Mr. Kim Kyou-hyun, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, presided over the Opening Session of the Mekong-ROK Business Forum.  The Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand emphasized the significance of Mekong countries which enjoy continued economic growth, possess abundant natural resources and labour, and are on integrate part of the ASEAN Community. Therefore, this sub-region has great potential to become one of the world’s important single markets and production bases. 

The Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand stressed that the role of the private sector is indispensable in realizing this growth. The Republic of Korea can share its expertise in certain areas to the Mekong countries, such as green technology. On cross-border trade facilitation, he encouraged using existing mechanisms to their full capacity to help minimize cost and processing time. Vice Minister Kim underlined the South Korean Government’s commitment to continued close cooperation with  the  Mekong  countries  for shared prosperity through such fora as the

Mekong-ROK Cooperation and ASEAN.  At present, 65% of the ODA disbursed by South Korea to ASEAN, in the form of concessional loans and grant aid, is for the Mekong sub-region.  South Korea is happy to share its experience and lessons learned in the development of its own country, and hopes to cooperate on creative economy, which is a leading agenda of President Park Geun-hye’s administration.

As the two plenary sessions of the Mekong-ROK Business Forum, invited speakers representing trade, investment and development agencies of the Mekong countries as well as entrepreneurs disscussed trade and investment regulations and procedures and spoke of their experiences in doing business in the Mekong region. 

The Forum concluded with a Business Matching session, in which around 20 South Korean entrepreneurs participated, such as CU Convergence (construction and hotel) Youngone Company (garments) and Donghwa Company (aluminium alloy). Thai companies that joined the business matching were Loxley Company, Siam Commercial Bank and Pawin Corp Company Ltd.

On 22 May 2013, the South Korean business delegation also attended the THAIFEX: World of Food Asia, a major food and beverage exhibition in the region.