Deputy Director-General of the International Economic Affairs Department co-chairs Mekong - Republic of Korea Senior Officials' Meeting 2026

On 26 June 2026, Ms. Prangtip Chansomsak, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, co-chaired the 2026 Mekong - Republic of Korea Senior Officials' Meeting (Mekong - ROK SOM) on behalf of Thailand, together with Mr. Lee Dong-gy, Director-General for ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. In attendance were representatives from the Mekong member countries and the Republic of Korea in a hybrid format.

Thailand, as co-chair, underscored three key approaches to advancing cooperation, including (1) enhancing response and resilience to subregional challenges, particularly in the areas of water resource and water quality management, air pollution, and transnational crime; (2) reconnecting the subregion by strengthening logistics, trade facilitation, as well as food and energy security; and (3) rebooting the subregion towards a more sustainable future through the promotion of the green economy and the digital economy. The Meeting also exchanged views on ways to strengthen cooperation under the Mekong - ROK framework in response to the evolving context and challenges facing the Mekong subregion.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of the Mekong - ROK Plan of Action 2021 - 2025 and discussed the development of a new Plan of Action, which will set the direction and priorities for future cooperation. They also discussed preparations for the 14th Mekong - ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which Thailand will co-chair in July 2026 on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Post-Ministerial Conferences and related Meetings in Manila, the Philippines.

Prior to the Mekong-ROK SOM, member countries of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) convened an ACMECS Caucus to discuss approaches in advancing cooperation across the various Mekong cooperation frameworks. The Caucus is a long-standing practice aimed at strengthening unity and promoting a coordinated approach among Mekong countries in driving subregional cooperation.