The five-day regional training program on Sustainable Rural Development commenced on June 13, 2016, at the Mekong Institute (MI) Residential Training Center in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The training was attended by 17 participants from Thailand and Lao PDR. 

Dr. Watcharas Leelawath, MI Executive Director, welcomed the participants to the program, which is part of a series of trainings sponsored by Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD). It aims to provide an efficient platform where the participants can share their experiences and ideas for appropriate solutions in implementing development interventions on rural areas, while sustaining finite resources for future generations. 

Following Dr. Watcharas, Dr. Kamalinne Pinipuvadol, ITD Executive Director, likewise delivered his opening remarks and introduced the activities of ITD, emphasizing their initiatives in Lao PDR. This training workshop will help participants to understand and cope with the rise in the complexity of economic arrangements due to the process in the world economy, particularly development in the rural area. The philosophy of sufficiency economy of H.M.K. King Bhumibhol is included in the knowledge transfer. 

Afterwards, Dr. Kamalinne Pinipuvadol gave a presentation on ‘Opportunities for International Trade and Sustainable Development’ and introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recently replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The newly adopted SDGs aim to mobilize action over the next 15 years towards ending poverty and hunger, protecting the world from environmental degradation, and fostering a prosperous, peaceful, just and inclusive society. 

He concluded that the goals, which he related to trade, all aim to reduce trade barriers among nations for sustainability. He lastly wished all participants to develop a network for future cooperation.