On 30 September – 2 October 2013, H.E. Ambassador Chirachai Punkrasin paid a visit to Monterrey, an economic and industrial center of northern Mexico and the NAFTA region. During the visit, the Thai Ambassador met with Mr. Ernesto Canales, the Thai Honorary Consul in Monterrey, as well as many important public, private and educational institutions in the city. The meetings included those with the Secretary of Economic Development of the State of Nuevo Leon, major companies in automobile, textile, construction and electronics sectors. Two Monterrey-based companies – CEMEX and METALSA- already have their plants in Thailand. The objective of the trip was to explore ways to increase trade and investment between Thailand and Mexico, particularly with Monterrey which has significant economic potential. 

     The Thai Ambassador visited the EGAP (Graduate School of Public Administration and Public Policy) and the EGADE Business School of the Tecnológico de Monterrey, a leading private university in Mexico, to discuss opportunities of educational cooperation and exchanges with Thai universities.