Mekong Institute (MI) senior officials congratulated Ms. Pattarat Hongtong, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and MI Council Member, for her recent appointment as Thailand’s Ambassador-Designate to India at a farewell meeting on February 25, 2021.  

“Thailand, which is represented by TICA, has been with MI since its formation,” said Dr. Narongchai Akrasanee, MI Steering Committee Chair, who hosted the event. “It is with TICA’s help that MI was able to build leaders and bridge partnerships. Many of MI’s achievements were completed under Ms. Pattarat’s term.”

In 1996, MI was established by the Governments of Thailand and New Zealand, as well as Khon Kaen University to deliver capacity building support in the GMS. In the last 25 years, TICA provided technical guidance and partnered with MI on numerous projects related to capacity building, research development, and monitoring and evaluation services within and outside the subregion.

Also joining the meeting were Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn and Dr. Watcharas Leelawath, the current and former executive directors of MI, as well as Mrs. Arunee Hiam, TICA’s Director of Partnership for Development Cooperation Bureau and Acting Director of Planning and Monitoring Branch, who also serves as MI’s Steering Committee Member for Thailand.

Ms. Pattarat was MI Council Chair from 2017 to 2019 and Council Member from 2019 to 2021.

The Council, which is comprised of high-level officials from GMS governments, international development organizations, and universities, oversees the strategic direction of the intergovernmental organization in delivering development support to the GMS.