On December 2014, Mr. Edward Clarence-Smith, Director of Regional Office in Bangkok of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) paid a courtesy call on General Tanasak Patimapragorn Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Ministry of Foreign Affiars, to present his letter of credentials on the occasion of his assumption of duty.

As the 2015 deadline of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is approaching, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being developed, building upon MDGs and converge with the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Mr. Clarence-Smith therefore asked for Thailand’s support for an inclusion of a goal regarding sustainable industrialization into SDGs as one of the ‘stand-alone’ goals.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs congratulated Mr. Clarence-Smith on his new assignment as Director of the UNIDO Regional Office in Bangkok and UNIDO Representative to Thailand, and reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to support UNIDO’s projects in all areas. Such projects will help foster sustainable industrial development in Thailand as well as in neighbouring countries.

UNIDO is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes and accelerates inclusive and sustainable industrial development in developing countries and economies in transition. Through the years, there have been many UNIDO’s projects in Thailand concerning sustainable industrialization.