Ayeyawady–Chao Phraya–Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit

Participating in the summit will be leaders from members of ACMECS, namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The summit will be held under the theme "Towards an Integrated and Connected Mekong Community."

During the summit, Thailand will propose an ACMECS Master Plan, the first of its kind in the Mekong subregion. The master plan will be implemented for a five-year period, from 2019 to 2023. It focuses on "3S”: Seamless Connectivity, Synchronized

ACMECS Economies, and Smart and Sustainable ACMECS.

In the initial stage, the ACMECS Master Plan will focus on connectivity along the East West Economic Corridor and the Southern Economic Corridor. It will also involve hardware connectivity, software connectivity, transport and digital infrastructure, and human resource development. The operations of ACMECS will also complement the Thai government's policies on the Eastern Economic Corridor, New S-Curve, and Thailand’s 4.0.

Apart from the ACMECS Master Plan, the Bangkok Declaration will be another important document to be adopted at the 8th ACMECS Summit. It underlines cooperation among the five member countries, under the "win-win” approach in the form of strategic partnership.

ACMECS was initiated by Thailand in 2003. It has played an important role in helping to reduce the development gap between Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, while expanding growth to local communities and promoting sustainable development in the region. The framework has also contributed greatly to ASEAN integration.

The fields of cooperation under ACMECS include trade and investment facilitation, agricultural cooperation, industrial and energy cooperation, transport linkages, tourism cooperation, and human resource development.

Over the years, Thailand has provided financial support to neighboring countries for infrastructure development, as well as educational scholarships and training programs for ACMECS member states, especially, public health and agriculture.

Interested media representatives are advised to register online through ACMECS website at www.acmecs2018.org under the banner Registration > Press/Media. Registration is open from May 25 to June 7, 2018.

Registered media must present a printed or electronic copy of the confirmation e-mail along with their ID card or passport to collect the media badge at the Media Center, which is located at Next 2 Chao Phraya Room, Shangri-La Hotel, from June 14 to 16, 2018. Media who are not registered will not be allowed to enter the meeting premises.