The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) 2022 summit held last month was the first global event Thailand had held since the outbreak of the pandemic.
The gathering of the regional economic forum with 21 member economies across the Asia-Pacific region, also returned to an in-person format for the first time since 2018. The 2019 event in Chile was cancelled due to protests being held in that country during that period and the last two editions were held virtually due to the pandemic.
Established in 1989, the Apec grouping is bigger than Asean, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The Apec bloc makes up about 60% of global GDP and accounts for 47% of the volume of world trade.
