ADB opens Bangkok hub

ADB opens Bangkok hub

BANGKOK: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) opened on Wednesday an office in Thailand to serve as a hub for its activities in the Mekong River subregion and to help launch Asian bonds.

"Bangkok will actually perform an important regional role for the bank and be a forum for our dialog with Thailand as a member of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)," said Raja Nag, director general for ADB's Mekong Department.

The Mekong region comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and southern China -- or the six countries through which the Mekong River flows.

Thailand is the most economically developed of the Mekong subregion countries.

"There is a wide range of skills and knowledge Thailand offers to the international community that we hope to take advantage of in helping poorer countries," said Jassem Ahmed, ADB's chief Thailand economist.-- DPA