The Mekong Studies Center was established under the Institute of Asian Studies (IAS) of Chulalongkorn University with a grant from the Ratchadapisak Sompoch fund in 2002 in order to conduct a research on the countries of the Mekong sub-region and to disseminate the acquired knowledge to the general public. In the early period, it was a research unit of IAS and was later established as a Center of Excellence in December of 2009.

The aim of Mekong Studies Center is to conduct researches and studies and disseminate knowledge about countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS), namely Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam and Southern China. The Center focuses on using the Area Studies methodology, which attempts to explain changes from the internal point of view of each country in order to thoroughly and accurately understand the changes.

In addition, changes are also viewed in the sub-regional aspect. All the countries in the GMS are geographically, socially and culturally close and they share common and similar experience in their development. Their connectivity, including physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity, has also increased significantly in these days. All of the above factors are contributing to the increase of the sub-regional integration and creation of mutual benefits.

The Center applies knowledge gained from these studies in every part of society through its academic services, such as organizing academic seminars, giving consultation to the public and private sectors as well as the general public, and participating in the establishment of key national policies in order to utilize the knowledge.

Contact : Telephone 02-218-7461, Fax 02-218-7459 and e-mail : mekong_researchunit@yahoo.com

Website : http://www.mekongchula.com and http://www.facebook.com/mekong.chula