On 15 September 2025, Mrs. Salinee Phonprapai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, led the Thai delegation to attend the 13th Mekong - Republic of Korea (ROK) Business Forum, held in Ho Chi Minh City, which was co-hosted by Viet Nam and South Korea, as co-chairs of the Mekong - ROK Cooperation framework for 2025.

The Forum was organised under the theme “Digitalization and Innovation: A Catalyst for Mekong - ROK Business Transformation and Cooperation.” It attracted more than 150 participants from the public and private sectors of the Mekong countries and the ROK, including representatives from Thailand’s Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Banking. Key activities featured discussions on promoting economic cooperation, digitalization, innovation, and connectivity between the Mekong countries and the Republic of Korea, under three topics: (1) Digitalizing Trade Processes and Strengthening Digital and Economic Capacities; (2) Exploring Opportunities in Smart Logistics; and (3) Opportunities for Further Cooperation between Localities and Mekong Countries and the ROK in the Field of Digitalization and Innovation. Representatives from the Department of Industrial Promotion and the International Institute for Trade and Development also served as speakers in the panel discussion. In addition, the event also featured business matching sessions between private sector participants, as well as a product exhibition from member countries.

The business forum is an annual event under the Mekong - ROK cooperation framework, established in 2013 to promote public - private partnerships and economic cooperation among the member countries of the Mekong - ROK framework.