National leaders ready for the 8th ACMECS

BANGKOK, June 15 (TNA) - The 8thAyeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit began today in Bangkok, attended by member countries - Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. The event is organised with the theme of “Towards an Integrated and Connected Mekong Community”. This summit includes the ACMECS CEO Forum on "Connecting our Future: Enhancing ACMECS Cooperation and Integration". In the forum, representatives from government and private sectors exchange opinions before the session of national leaders on June 16. As the ACMECS chair, Thailand will propose the five-year ACMECS master plan (to be implemented from 2019 to 2023). It will be the first development master plan for countries in the Mekong river basin. It emphasizes infrastructure, energy and digital development as well as investment attractiveness and innovations for the agricultural sector. Thailand initiated ACMECS in 2003 to boost border trade, narrow development gaps among member countries and promote sustainable growth. (TNA)