On 27 May 2014ม H.E. Mr. Panyarak Poolthup, Ambassador of Thailand to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, attended the opening ceremony of Kenan Institute Asia’s Office in Hanoi at Sofitel Hotel Hanoi. The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Piyabutr Cholvijarn, Vice Chairman of the Board and President of the Institute, and joined by high-level representatives from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam as well as high-ranking members of public and private sectors of Vietnam. 

     The Kenan Institute Asia was founded in Bangkok in 1996 with the support of the Royal Thai Government, USAID, the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust and the University of North Carolina. The Kenan Institute has closely cooperated with Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand for the implementation of development projects in neighboring countries of Thailand, namely Laos PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam.