Thai private sector ‘ready to host’ world business leaders at APEC CEO Summit
Thailand's private sector said on Tuesday it will be ready to host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit on November 16-18, revealing programme highlights and keynote speakers.
Poj Aramwattananont, chair of the business leaders’ summit, held a press conference on Tuesday to announce that 90% of preparations were complete, including the venue, hospitality, security, reception party, and the summit's programme – which covers the economy, trade, investment and society.
He said the remaining 10% concerned the schedule for world leaders attending the summit as keynote speakers, including China’s President Xi Jinping.
"We invited economic leaders from 13 economies to attend the APEC CEO Summit 2022, and the PM [Prayut Chan-o-cha] intends to deliver a speech."
Poj said three leaders had confirmed their attendance at the CEO Summit: Peru’s Pedro Castillo, Chile’s Gabriel Boric, and Vietnam’s Nguyên Xuân Phuc.
He pointed out that current economic challenges on all fronts – food shortages, power crises, inflation, and pandemic recovery – had put the private sector on high alert.
The APEC CEO Summit will offer a platform for exchanges on key global directions, as well as an opportunity for Thailand to revive its economy after reopening post-pandemic, Poj said.
The main agendas for world business leaders at the summit will be lowering barriers to free trade, measures to combat inflation, and the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy model for sustainable development.
Business leaders will exchange ideas at a forum themed “Embrace, Engage, Enable” on November 17 and 18, said Kasemsit Pathomsak, executive director of the CEO Summit.
Leaders of economies would be joined by top CEOs and thought leaders from around the world, such as Prof Klaaus Schwab, founder and managing director of the World Economic Forum; Hooi Ling Tan, founder of Grab; Bob Moritz, PWC global chairman; and executives from Johnson & Johnson, Meta, Google, Exxon, and others.
Also present will be leading Thai CEOs such as Nualphan Lamsam, managing director and president of Muang Thai Life Assurance; and Suphachai Chearavanont, managing director of True Corporation.
Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking and chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce said that the summit is seen as a great "opportunity" for the country to showcase its trade, investment, and competitive potential in multiple dimensions including food, tourism, healthcare, and automotive manufacturing.
The APEC CEO Summit 2022 will be held at the Athenee hotel in Bangkok on November 16-18. Some 500-600 business leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region will be joined by over 200 high-level Thai CEOs at summit events.
