Mr. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director General of the Department of International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand who is in-charge of BIMSTEC related matters as the Head of Thailand’s National Focal Point, visited the BIMSTEC Secretariat on Monday 25 July 2022. Thailand presently holds the Chairmanship of BIMSTEC, and this is the first occasion on which a delegation from the BIMSTEC Member State holding the chairmanship has visited the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka, soon after assuming the Chairmanship, for consultations and discussions with the Secretary General of BIMSTEC.

Director General Chaivaivid was accompanied by Mr. Racha Aribarg, Director of the Division of Economic Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Jiraporn Wattanasophorn, Minister Counsellor, Mr. Theerapat Pumalee, Third Secretary, and Ms. Mathina Boonpramote, Attaché.

Discussions between the Secretariat staff headed by the Secretary General and the Delegation from Thailand headed by Director General Chaivaivid covered a range of issues including matters concerning Thailand’s vision for BIMSTEC as the current Chair.

The Secretary-General welcomed the visit by Director General Chaivaivid and his delegation to the Secretariat and expressed the hope that this would set a precedent for all future Chairs of BIMSTEC to visit the Secretariat to hold consultations with the Secretary General and Secretariat staff for better coordinating the progress of regional cooperation efforts..