Suu Kyi to be focus of interest at WEF

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will preside over the opening of the WEF on East Asia, with 600 participants from 50 countries expected to attend from May 30-June 1.

It remains to be seen whether Suu Kyi, who will travel abroad for the first time in 24 years, will steal the show at the WEF as she is scheduled to deliver a speech. U Thein Sein, president of Myanmar, was also scheduled to make a presentation at the WEF on June 1 on Myanmar’s recent political and economic reform, but for unclear reasons, he won’t be able to make it. But Thein Sein is scheduled to visit Thailand next Monday and Tuesday to discuss border issues with army leaders. Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha will welcome him, and he is likely to meet Yingluck on Tuesday next week.

The theme of this year’s forum is “Shaping the Region’s Future through Connectivity”. Bangkok will welcome over 50 public figures representing 20 countries, including the heads of state or government of Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam.

One of the heavyweight sessions will see Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, prime minister of Bahrain; Nguyen Tan Dung, prime minister of Viet-nam; Thongsing Thammavong, prime minister of Laos; Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, president of Indonesia, and Yingluck sharing their views on the challenges and opportunities shaping East Asia.

More than 450 business leaders, over 60 global growth companies, 33 young global leaders and 14 social entrepreneurs along with other members of civil society and academia will convene to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing East Asia today.

“This year’s meeting is an exceptional opportunity not only for leaders from East Asia, but also from outside the region, as the Asean countries are a major evolving geopolitical and geo-economic pillar of the global economy,” Sushant Palakurthi Rao, senior director and head of Asia at the World Economic Forum, said yesterday.

“We are pleased to host the World Economic Forum on East Asia, which will not only be a great opportunity to showcase Thailand’s progress in the economic and political spheres, but will also be a good chance for government and business leaders from around the world to discuss how to increase bilateral and regional cooperation,” said Deputy PM and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong.

The 21st East Asia meeting will also bring together international public figures such as Susan Collins, a Republican senator from the US; Marcio Favilla Lucca de Paula, executive director for competitiveness, external relations and partnerships at the World Tourism Organisation; Martin Ferguson, Australia’s minister for resources, energy and tourism; and Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, director general of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Other big names include Gloria Guevara Manzo, Mexico’s secretary of tourism; Tatsuo Hirano, Japan’s minister for reconstruction and minister for the comprehensive review of measures in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake; Idris Jala, a Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office minister; Pascal Lamy, director general of the World Trade Organisation; Mustapa Mohamed, Malaysia’s minister of international trade and industry; Rajat Nag, managing director general of the Asian Development Bank; Supachai Panitchpakdi, secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of Asean; Cesar Purisima, the Philippine’s secretary of finance; Naoyuki Shinohara, deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund; and Kim Sung-han, South Korea’s vice minister of foreign affairs and trade.

Top-level government representatives from Thailand at the meeting include Kittiratt; Chumpol Silapa-archa, deputy prime minister and tourism minister; Surapong Towichukchaikul, foreign minister; Anudith Nakornthap, information and communications technology minister; and Arak Chonlatanon, energy minister.