Chief Executive Carrie Lam today opened the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Bangkok and met Thailand’s Prime Minister.

Mrs Lam, accompanied by Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau, attended the office’s opening ceremony, with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak as the officiating guest.

In her speech, Mrs Lam thanked the Thailand government for its support in making it possible for the office to commence operation just 17 months after she announced the plan in her maiden Policy Address in October 2017.

She hoped the office will play the role of facilitator, connecting businesses and organisations between Hong Kong and Thailand, and fostering co-operation.

Speaking to the media in Bangkok, Mrs Lam said: “I'm sure the presence of this office will usher in a new era of closer collaboration between Hong Kong and Thailand, not only in terms of trade and investment and commerce, but also in other areas like culture, education, technology, creative industries and people-to-people exchange.”

In the morning, Mrs Lam met Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Mrs Lam said Thailand is an important partner of Hong Kong and this was her third visit to the country since taking office.

Noting that she met Mr Prayut at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting earlier, Mrs Lam said such frequent contacts are a testimony of the importance attached to the bilateral relations by both sides.

She said the Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the related Investment Agreement were signed in late 2017.

She thanked the Thailand government for the co-ordination role it took throughout the negotiations, as well as its timely ratification of the free trade agreement and its efforts to encourage other ASEAN member states to expedite their ratification process.

Mrs Lam also met Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai.

At a business seminar co-hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, the Chief Executive briefed about 1,000 participants on the latest situation of Hong Kong and the areas in which collaboration with Thailand can be enhanced.

She and Mr Somkid witnessed the signing of four Memorandums of Understanding at the seminar between Cyberport, the council and a Hong Kong company with the Thailand Board of Investment and InnoSpace Thailand to promote co-operation of startups and incubation services.

Addressing the seminar, Mrs Lam spoke on the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, saying Hong Kong will play a key role in the initiative, especially in the development of an international innovation and technology hub in the bay area.

She encouraged Thailand to work with Hong Kong to promote the development of I&T and startups.

During a lunch with Mr Somkid and members of Thailand’s business sector, Mrs Lam encouraged enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages as an international financial, transportation and trade centre to explore together the markets along the Belt & Road and in the Mainland.

Mrs Lam also officiated at the opening ceremony of a year-long collaboration between Zuni Icosahedron and the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre.

She said Hong Kong's arts and culture scene is blooming and she believes there is much room for enhancing exchange and co-operation between the two places.

On arrival in Bangkok yesterday afternoon, Mrs Lam met representatives of Hong Kong organisations to learn about their work and lives in Thailand.

She later attended a dinner hosted by Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Thailand Lyu Jian.