On 10 - 16 August 2025, Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs and Thailand’s APEC Senior Official, attended the Third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (APEC SOM3/2025) and related meetings in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The objectives of the meetings were to review APEC’s recent progress and to advance the preparations for the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, scheduled to be held between 31 October and 1 November 2025 in Gyeongju.

Thailand reiterated its strong support for the Republic of Korea’s host year priority under the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow.” Thailand emphasized the importance of advancing the multilateral trading system and fostering cooperation in emerging issues, such as demographic change and Artificial Intelligence. Thailand also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the Bangkok Goals on BCG Economy, a key outcome of Thailand’s APEC host year in 2022. Thailand also took the opportunity to provide an update on the selection process for the 2025 APEC BCG Award, an initiative in which it launched.

In addition, on 11 - 12 August 2025, the Director-General also participated in the inaugural APEC 2025 Korea Public - Private Dialogue: Demographic Response and AI Cooperation, hosted by the Republic of Korea. The Dialogue brought together government and private sector representatives to exchange insights on addressing issues regarding demographic shifts and enhancing AI cooperation, with an emphasis on the need for inclusive participation across all population groups, technological leverages to improve health and caregiving, digital skills enhancement, and investment in sustainable AI infrastructure. Dr. Sureeporn Punpuing, professor from the Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, also joined a panel discussion on “Building a Sustainable System for Demographic Changes across Diverse Sectors of Society.”

On the sidelines of APEC SOM3/2025, more than 30 meetings of various APEC committees and working groups were convened, alongside several ministerial and high-level meetings. These included the APEC High-Level Meeting on Anti-Corruption Cooperation, the APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, the APEC Food Security Ministerial Meeting, and the APEC Women and the Economy Forum. These meetings have adopted key outcome documents that will guide APEC’s concrete cooperation going forward.