On 24 March 2022, the Mekong Cooperation Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, in cooperation with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Bangkok co-organized the launching ceremony of Thailand’s projects funded by the Mekong - Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Special Fund on the occasion of the Mekong - Lancang Cooperation Week 2022 (MLC Week) via videoconference. The event was broadcasted live on the Ministry’s Facebook page.

These 13 Thai-led projects by 5 Thai Ministries were approved to receive funding from the MLC Special Fund during the 6th MLC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 8 June 2021 in Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
(1) 7 projects by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation;
(2) 1 project by the Ministry of Interior;
(3) 1 project by the Ministry of Education;
(4) 3 projects by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives; and
(5) 1 project by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports
All these projects are aimed at improving the livelihood of the Thai people as well as the people in the Mekong sub-region.

During the Launching Ceremony, H.E. Ms. Arunrung Phothong Humphreys, Ambassador Attached to the Ministry and Thailand’s Mekong SOM Leader delivered the opening remarks while H.E. Ms. Chulamanee Chartsuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and H.E. Mr. Han Zhiqiang, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Thailand, gave their special remarks. High-Level representatives from the 5 Ministries then took the floor to introduce the projects under their supervision. Afterward, all dignitaries jointly launched the projects.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary and all high-level representatives gave praise to the MLC development for its high efficiency and quality. They reaffirmed the commitment to move forward the MLC cooperation in synergy and complementarity with other sub-regional cooperation frameworks, particularly since Thailand is set to take over the co-chairmanship of MLC with China from Myanmar later this year.

The establishment of MLC was suggested by Thailand in 2012 with a view to promoting sustainable development and narrowing the development gap in the Mekong - Lancang sub-region. Its Member Countries consist of China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The First annual MLC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the First biennial MLC Summit were held in November 2015 and March 2016, respectively.