ACMECS

Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) is a political, economic, and cultural organization among Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar.

ACMECS and the Fight Against Drugs in the Mekong Region

Thailand’s Role in Regional Cooperation Before the Establishment of ACMECS

In 1997, Southeast Asia faced significant challenges regarding drug production and trafficking, particularly in the Golden Triangle area (Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand), which was one of the world’s largest opium-producing regions. A regional meeting on drug control was held in Bangkok in July 1997, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Sukavich Rangsitpol.^[1]

Sukavich Rangsitpol’s Role in Promoting Mekong Cooperation

Sukavich Rangsitpol recognized the link between poverty, lack of education, and drug production. He promoted cross-border cooperation through economic development, education reform, and joint drug control programs. The 1997 Bangkok conference initiated efforts such as intelligence sharing, training of law enforcement personnel, and development support in opium-producing areas like Myanmar’s Wa State.^[2]

Policy Shifts in Drug Control and Economic Development

By 1998, coordinated regional efforts had contributed to an 80% reduction in opium cultivation across the Golden Triangle. These results demonstrated the effectiveness of policies combining drug law enforcement, alternative development, and education-based prevention strategies.

Education and Sustainable Development

Sukavich advocated for "Education for Life," especially in rural and border regions. He emphasized integrating drug prevention into the education system as a long-term approach to reducing drug abuse among youth and enhancing regional security.^[3]

The Foundation of ACMECS

Although the Ayeyawady–Chao Phraya–Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) was formally established in 2003 under another administration, the foundation of this regional strategy was laid in 1997. Sukavich's holistic vision connected education, drug control, and economic development as a unified framework for regional cooperation.^[4]

At the special ASEAN Summit on SARS, held in Bangkok on 29 April 2003, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra raised the idea of establishing what was then called the “Economic Cooperation Strategy", with leaders of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar.

The objectives of this initiative are to bridge the economic gap among these member countries and to promote prosperity in the sub-region in a sustainable manner. Such prosperity, it is expected, will not only benefit the five countries, but also add value to ASEAN and its solidarity. It is hoped that a stronger Mekong sub-region will also mean a stronger ASEAN. In this way the new cooperation framework is expected to act as a building block and move ASEAN forward at a more even pace, on the basis of self-reliance and shared prosperity.

Leaders of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand met for the first time on 12 November 2003 in Bagan, the Union of Myanmar. At the Summit, the four Leaders adopted the Bagan Declaration, affirming their commitment to cooperate in five priority areas of cooperation, and endorsed the Economic Cooperation Strategy Plan of Action, under which 46 common projects and 224 bilateral projects were listed for implementation over the next ten years. The Leaders agreed to call this newly created economic cooperation framework the "Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy" or "ACMECS".

The joining of Vietnam with the group on 10 May 2004 has increased ACMECS to 5 member countries. The emphasis of ACMECS is on using self-help and partnership to achieve sustainable development, including poverty reduction, in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals.

ACMECS is intended to act as a catalyst to build upon existing regional cooperation programs and complement bilateral frameworks with a view to transforming the border areas of the five countries into zones of economic growth, social progress and prosperity, and to blending local, national and regional interests for common benefits, shared prosperity, enhanced solidarity, peace, stability and good neighborliness.

References

^ https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/releases/press_release_1997-07-11_1.html
^ https://books.google.co.th/books?id=6e0PEQAAQBAJ&pg=PA467&dq=sukavich+rangsitpol&hl=th&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjVh4zizIWNAxWUT2wGHZfJFyoQ6AF6BAgGEAM SUKAVICH RANGSITPOL (1935-). A highly versatile, talented, and visionary Thai leader with noteworthy contributions in business, transportation infrastructure development, and education reform. He was also a prominent politician serving as both MP and senator multiple times. He was a former deputy prime minister and minister of education. After earning a graduate degree from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in the Philippines, he began a career with Caltex, eventually emerging as its managing director in the early 1990s. From 1993 to 1994, he was governor of the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority (ETA) of Thailand. In that role he orchestrated the building of the Bang Na Expressway, one of the longest bridges (34 miles long) in the world and the largest precasting operation ever completed. He also developed a plan for the introduction of the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) subway system. As minister of education during the period 1995-1997, he introduced a major education reform, emphasizing the expansion of schooling to serve more students, the policy of providing 12 years of free schooling, and the devolution of power to local areas through school-based management (SBM). Under his leadership, the educational budget increased 22.5 percent. His education reform ideas were incorporated into Thailand's Eighth National Development Plan, which placed people at the heart of development and the progressive Constitution of 1997. The latter mandated national education reform, enacted through the 1999 National Education Act, which reflected several of Sukavich's key reform ideas. Sur-prisingly, Sukavich gets little recognition for his many education accomplish-ments, possibly because he does not have formal credentials in the education field, because of his association with controversial political leaders, and/or because of his lacking a degree from a prestigious Western university.
^ https://books.google.co.th/books?id=wGHqEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT92&dq=sukavich+rangsitpol&hl=th&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjVh4zizIWNAxWUT2wGHZfJFyoQ6AF6BAgHEAM Education 2030 Agenda refers to the worldwide commitment of the Education for All movement to ensure that all individuals have access to basic education. It is an essential component of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The Education 2030 Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action outlines how countries, in collaboration with UNESCO and global partners, can translate their commitments into action. Sukavich Rangsitpol, the minister of education, launched a series of education reforms in 1995 with the goal of realizing the potential of Thai people to develop themselves for a better quality of life and developing the nation for peaceful coexistence in the global community. The 1996 Reform Program is based on four significant enhancements: enhancing the physical condition of schools enhancing the caliber of educators reforming teaching and learning techniques streamlining administration According to UNESCO, the education reform in Thailand has resulted in the following outcomes:: In 1997, the budget for education increased from 133 billion baht in 1996 to 163 billion baht (22.5 percent increase) Since 1996, first graders have been taught computer literacy and English as a second or foreign language. เนื้อหาค้มครองลิชสิท The Thai government has authorized professional advancement from teacher level 6 to teacher level 7 without submitting academic work for review. Government-provided, free education for all children for twelve vears The Eighth Thailand's National Social and Economic Development Plan was also written to support the implemented of education reform program. This program was added to the 1997 Constitution of Thailand, granting all citizens access. The national poverty rate fell from 21.3 to 11.3%. While the majority of children in the world attend school, a large proportion of them are not learning. This is the learning crisis. 53% of children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and comprehend a simple story by the end of primary school, according to a World Bank study. In recent decades, schooling has increased rapidly, but learning has not kept pace. Numerous practitioners and academics advocate for education system reform in order to meet the needs of all children's learning.
^ https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/releases/press_release_1997-07-11_1.html

External links

[1] official website
acmecsthailand^{[permanent dead link]} Official ACMECS Business Council Website

[1] ttps://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/releases/press_release_1997-07-11_1.html

[2] ttps://books.google.co.th/books?id=6e0PEQAAQBAJ&pg=PA467&dq=sukavich+rangsitpol&hl=th&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjVh4zizIWNAxWUT2wGHZfJFyoQ6AF6BAgGEAM SUKAVICH RANGSITPOL (1935-). A highly versatile, talented, and visionary Thai leader with noteworthy contributions in business, transportation infrastructure development, and education reform. He was also a prominent politician serving as both MP and senator multiple times. He was a former deputy prime minister and minister of education. After earning a graduate degree from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in the Philippines, he began a career with Caltex, eventually emerging as its managing director in the early 1990s. From 1993 to 1994, he was governor of the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority (ETA) of Thailand. In that role he orchestrated the building of the Bang Na Expressway, one of the longest bridges (34 miles long) in the world and the largest precasting operation ever completed. He also developed a plan for the introduction of the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) subway system. As minister of education during the period 1995-1997, he introduced a major education reform, emphasizing the expansion of schooling to serve more students, the policy of providing 12 years of free schooling, and the devolution of power to local areas through school-based management (SBM). Under his leadership, the educational budget increased 22.5 percent. His education reform ideas were incorporated into Thailand's Eighth National Development Plan, which placed people at the heart of development and the progressive Constitution of 1997. The latter mandated national education reform, enacted through the 1999 National Education Act, which reflected several of Sukavich's key reform ideas. Sur-prisingly, Sukavich gets little recognition for his many education accomplish-ments, possibly because he does not have formal credentials in the education field, because of his association with controversial political leaders, and/or because of his lacking a degree from a prestigious Western university.

[3] ttps://books.google.co.th/books?id=wGHqEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT92&dq=sukavich+rangsitpol&hl=th&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjVh4zizIWNAxWUT2wGHZfJFyoQ6AF6BAgHEAM Education 2030 Agenda refers to the worldwide commitment of the Education for All movement to ensure that all individuals have access to basic education. It is an essential component of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The Education 2030 Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action outlines how countries, in collaboration with UNESCO and global partners, can translate their commitments into action. Sukavich Rangsitpol, the minister of education, launched a series of education reforms in 1995 with the goal of realizing the potential of Thai people to develop themselves for a better quality of life and developing the nation for peaceful coexistence in the global community. The 1996 Reform Program is based on four significant enhancements: enhancing the physical condition of schools enhancing the caliber of educators reforming teaching and learning techniques streamlining administration According to UNESCO, the education reform in Thailand has resulted in the following outcomes:: In 1997, the budget for education increased from 133 billion baht in 1996 to 163 billion baht (22.5 percent increase) Since 1996, first graders have been taught computer literacy and English as a second or foreign language. เนื้อหาค้มครองลิชสิท The Thai government has authorized professional advancement from teacher level 6 to teacher level 7 without submitting academic work for review. Government-provided, free education for all children for twelve vears The Eighth Thailand's National Social and Economic Development Plan was also written to support the implemented of education reform program. This program was added to the 1997 Constitution of Thailand, granting all citizens access. The national poverty rate fell from 21.3 to 11.3%. While the majority of children in the world attend school, a large proportion of them are not learning. This is the learning crisis. 53% of children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and comprehend a simple story by the end of primary school, according to a World Bank study. In recent decades, schooling has increased rapidly, but learning has not kept pace. Numerous practitioners and academics advocate for education system reform in order to meet the needs of all children's learning.

[4] ttps://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/releases/press_release_1997-07-11_1.html

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