The International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD) has mobilised academics from eight ASEAN member states to draft strategic policy papers aimed at addressing the ‘Twin Green-and-Digital Transition’, while identifying opportunities to connect Thailand's strengths with regional supply chains.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Trade Intelligence Forum 2026, themed ‘Navigating Global Megatrends: Regional Outlooks’, ITD Executive Director Suphakit Charoenkul stated that no single nation can navigate current global challenges alone.
He emphasised that regional economic restructuring is accelerating, making inter-nation collaboration essential to building resilient supply chains, adding that “Developing policy papers creates a platform for ASEAN nations to propose collaborative approaches with Thailand to navigate new global economic regulations.”
The initiative convenes leading academic networks from across ASEAN to analyse how sustainability and digital transformations impact regional trade, economies and investment.
By compiling joint policy papers, participating researchers are proposing targeted recommendations for government agencies, reflecting local economic impacts while opening channels for multilateral cooperation with Thailand.
Several ASEAN members presented strategic proposals to link their primary sectors with Thailand’s industrial ecosystem.
Indonesia proposed connecting its critical mineral reserves, particularly nickel and upstream battery production, to Thailand’s electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing sector.
Meanwhile, Laos advocated for the ‘Thailand+1’ strategy to enhance its role as a regional land-linked trade hub.
Brunei put forward potential collaboration in clean energy, smart food systems, halal products, digital trade and sustainable finance.
Addressing demographic shifts and an aging population, Malaysia highlighted opportunities for cross-border labour mobility and joint production chains.
Myanmar focused on expanding green industries and strengthening economic corridors, such as the Mae Sot-Myawaddy and Ranong-Yangon routes, along with local currency payment systems.
The Philippines proposed integrating its semiconductor component supply chain into Thailand’s EV industry, while strengthening supply chains against climate risks.
Singapore suggested diversifying import supply sources away from China towards ASEAN partners, including Thailand, to mitigate potential trade risks stemming from US tariff policies under ‘Trump 2.0’.
Vietnam outlined plans to advance green industrial growth towards its Net Zero 2050 target, while building low-carbon supply chains with Thailand across the EV, electronics and agricultural processing sectors.
Wimon Punkong, deputy executive director (Academic) at ITD, noted that the green and digital transitions are no longer just environmental objectives, but vital determinants of trade competitiveness.
“Harmonising standards, integrating rules-based frameworks, and enhancing cross-border digital links will help shield the region from external economic shocks,” he added.
ITD plans to translate these research findings into concrete economic partnerships, turning global megatrend challenges into shared opportunities for regional trade, investment and development.
