Bangkok, Thailand, 26 June 2026 – The Mekong Institute (MI) inaugurated its new Project Office in Bangkok, which will primarily serve as a hub for advancing Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Cooperation. Located in the Athenee Tower in the heart of Bangkok’s diplomatic district, the new office marks a significant milestone in MI’s management of the Mekong-RoK Cooperation Fund (MKCF).

MI Steering Committee Chair Dr. Narongchai Akrasanee graced the inauguration ceremony, where he highlighted the importance of the Mekong–RoK partnership as a strategic platform for strengthening cooperation between Northeast and Southeast Asia. He commended the remarkable growth of the MKCF since its establishment in 2013 and welcomed the appointment of the RoK as an advisor to the MI Council, recognizing the RoK government’s longstanding contribution to the region’s development.

Representing the RoK, Mr. Lee Dong-gy, Director-General of the ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), praised MI’s dedication and achievements over the past decade. He noted that the establishment of the project office would facilitate closer coordination, enhance project management and stakeholder engagement, and support the increasing scale of MKCF operations.

The ceremony was witnessed by senior representatives from MI, the RoK MoFA, and the Embassy of the RoK in Thailand. It further recognized the RoK’s valuable partnership with MI through the presentation of a Letter of Appreciation and a video showcasing the achievements of the MKCF.

An intergovernmental organization owned and operated by the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), MI is headquartered in Khon Kaen, Thailand, where it maintains a residential training center for regional capacity-building programs.