On 12 March 2023, His Excellency Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, visited Kolkata, Republic of India, to deliver Thailand’s statement at the inaugural session of the BIMSTEC Business Conclave 2023, organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce – ICC, in partnership with Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The Conclave’s goal is to enchance cooperation in all areas of of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation – BIMSTEC.

The Vice Minister’s statement to the Conclave was centered on Thailand’s contribution to BIMSTEC as the lead country in Connectivity and as the Chair for BIMSTEC this year, on how Thailand have contributed to the enhancement of economic cooperation within the framework, achieved through the implementation of the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity and the conclusion of the Agreement on Maritime Transport Connectivity. These Master Plan and Agreement, Thailand is of certainty, will play a key role in promoting the seamless connectivity of the Bay of Bengal region and increase the flows of trade and investment among Member States, thereby contributing to the rapid growth of the region’s economy. Apart from Thailand’s current contribution, the Vice Minister also emphasized the recent Thai proposal to BIMSTEC in setting up of the BIMSTEC Business Advisory Council, with the aim to further boost participation of the private sector, currently a major stakeholder in the success of BIMSTEC. The Advisory Council, explained the Vice Minister, will act as a platform for the private sector of all member-states to interact with each other and to bring them into internal processes of BIMSTEC, thereby shaping the framework to become better accountable to the needs of the private sector.

Apart from the strong representation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Vice Minister, Thailand was also represented in this Conclave by a wide range of public and private sector representatives including the Ambassador of Thailand to India, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and the delegation, the Consul-General of Thailand in Kolkata, the Thai Office of Commercial Affairs in New Delhi, Chulalongkorn University, Board of Trade of Thailand, India-Thai Chamber of Commerce, and the Thai Startup Association. Many among these representatives were panelists in the forums related to cooperation in BIMSTEC at the Conclave, ranging from promotion of universal healthcare, startup collaboration, education promotion, gems and jewelleries industries, and food and agricultural processing industries. Also present were the 7 private sectors from Thailand who, on invitation by the Royal Thai Embassy and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Kolkata, came to showcase their products to their Indian audience and potential business partners.

The BIMSTEC Business Conclave is the first of such kind, organized for 3 days from 13 - 15 June 2023, with the objective to build networks among the public – private – and business stakeholders from all BIMSTEC countries, and especially the business sector, viewed as crucial in driving synergies within the BIMSTEC Region. Apart from the strong Thai delegation elaborated above, other BIMSTEC members were also representatived by their high-level representatives, such as the Minister of Industries from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies of Nepal and the Minister of Commerce of Myanmar.