2008 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit

This year, Thailand assumes the Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Business Advisory Council (ASEANBAC)  and will become host of the annual ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ASEAN-BIS) on February 25- 27, 2009 at Plaza Athénée Bangkok A Royal Meridien Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

Conducted over the past five years, the 2008 ASEAN-BIS which carries the theme “People to People: Commitment Towards ASEAN Prosperity”, will continue to provide the platform for knowledge exchange and relations network among regional and global businessmen. The event will have its regular feature of keynote addresses delivered by the ASEAN Heads of State and Government, ASEAN Economic Ministers and private sector speakers from the ASEAN and Asian regions and beyond. One of the lime lights of the 2008 ASEAN-BIS will be the winners’ announcement of the prestigious ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) 2008 to recognize outstanding and successful ASEAN companies contributing to ASEAN's economic growth and prosperity. ABA also aims to showcase promising ASEAN small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the potential to be global players. Both initiatives have congregated the private and public sector organizations, government representatives and captains of industry from within and outside ASEAN to achieve the common mission of the AEC.

The 2008 ASEAN-BIS Conference is expected to reach over 700 delegates. The 2008 ASEAN-BIS Gala Dinner and Presentation of the ABA Winners with its capacity to hold 500 guests are already sold out.

ASEAN-BAC organizes the annual ASEAN-BIS alongside the annual ASEAN Summits, with the mandate to bring the private sector into the mainstream of ASEAN economic activities.

ASEAN-BAC, together with its co-organizers, the Federation of Thai Industries, Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Thai Bankers Association, and supporting organizations ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry, East Asia Business Council, and Greater Mekong Sub-Region Business Forum closely coordinate with the respective national chambers of commerce and industry of member countries in the realization of the event. ASEAN-BAC has also received strong support from business organizations of Dialogue Partners.

The 2008 ASEAN-Business and Investment Summit is sponsored by Siam Cement Group, Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), Mitsui & Co (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd., PTT Public Company Limited, Tetra Pak (Thai) Ltd., Thai Beverage PCL., Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co.,Ltd., Charoen Pokphand Group, and Amata Corporation PCL.