Bangkok--May 11--Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Top government and business leaders will gather in Bangkok to examine Thailand and Southeast Asia’s rise in the global economy, at the Asia Society’s 15th Asian Corporate Conference to be held June 8-10, 2005, at the Shangri-La Hotel. The conference, “Southeast Asia Rising: A Region Booming Among Asia’s Economic Giants,” will examine Thailand’s potential to sustain its rapid economic growth over the long term. Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will give the keynote address at the opening dinner on Wednesday, June 8.
Conference delegates will explore a range of issues affecting Southeast Asia’s growth potential and the region’s economic future. Panel topics include Thailand’s economic resurgence as a sustainable growth model; Southeast Asia’s energy and infrastructure needs; trade liberalization and foreign investment in Southeast Asia’s key sectors; enhanced economic partnerships between India and Southeast Asia; and implications of China’s rise and Japan’s recovery.
Taking place six months after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, the conference will also serve as a forum for government and business leaders from around the world to come together and focus on ongoing needs in the affected areas as well as regional and international cooperation in the reconstruction effort. This effort is part of the Asia Society’s Tsunami Response Project that aims to educate the public on the long-term political, economic, social, cultural and environmental effects of the tsunami on the countries of Asia and on the future of U.S.-Asia relations.
“The Asia Society’s 15th Asian Corporate Conference will examine how Southeast Asia will capitalize on expanding economic ties with China, India, Japan and the United States,” said Asia Society President Vishakha N. Desai. “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Dow Jones and the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in cooperation with regional business associations and councils to present the Corporate Conference, which will bring together the world’s leading business experts, government officials and investors to read Southeast Asia’s economic pulse and envision how big a player the region will be in the global economy in the coming years.”
Conference speakers from the Thai government will include newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai and newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon. Other confirmed government speakers include: Phan Van Khai, Prime Minister, Vietnam; Goh Chok Tong, Senior Minister, Singapore; Jairam Ramesh, Member of Parliament, India; Kevin M. Rudd, Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Security, Australia; Laura Cha, Member, Executive Council, Hong Kong S.A.R.; Ong Keng Yong, Secretary General, ASEAN; and Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
Martin Sullivan, President and CEO, American International Group Inc. (AIG); Mark Shulz, Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company; John S. Wadsworth Jr., Honorary Chairman, Morgan Stanley Asia; Robert Morse, CEO, Corporate & Investment Bank of Citigroup Inc., etc. have also confirmed their participation in the conference.
Co-organized by Dow Jones & Company Inc. and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, the conference has attracted a number of distinguished sponsors. American International Group, Inc. is the Lead Corporate Benefactor. Bangkok Bank, Ford Motor Company, New Songdo City Development LLC and Philip Morris Thailand Limited are Corporate Contributors. Citigroup, IBM Thailand Company Limited, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, PTT Public Company Limited, Saha-Union Pcl.; Thai Airways, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Unocal Thailand Ltd. are Corporate Supporters. Collaborating organizations include the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Thai Bankers’ Association, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Thai Institute of Directors, the Thailand-U.S. Business Council, and the US-ASEAN Business Council. Additional conference information is available on the web at: www.asiasociety.org/conference.
The Asia Society annually presents a high-profile Corporate Conference in Asia to examine the implications of macroeconomic trends and geopolitical developments for the region and the world. Through keynote addresses by heads of Asian governments and other key decision-makers, as well as roundtable discussions with business and policy leaders from around the world, this unique series highlights developments in the conference site country, while examining the cutting-edge issues shaping important trends in Asia's dynamic markets and in the global economy. Since 1989, the Asian Corporate Conference has attracted a combined audience of more than 12,000 participants from more than 26 countries around the world.
About the Asia Society
Asia Society is an international organization dedicated to strengthening relationships and deepening understanding among the peoples of Asia and the United States. The Society presents educational programs on Asian contemporary affairs and cultures for professional audiences, including business executives, foreign affairs specialists, the media and the general public. The Asia Society's Business Programs provide a leading forum for executives to meet the policy makers and business leaders who shape the Asia Pacific business environment. Asia Society is headquartered in New York, with regional centers in Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Manila, Melbourne and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.asiasociety.org.
Contact: Elaine Merguerian (212) 327-9313
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