Category Archives: News

Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council Members Day 2025

SLGMBC Hosts Members’ Networking Evening at Port City

The Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council (SLGMBC) held an exclusive Members’ Networking Evening on 13th June 2025 at the Port City Sales Gallery, Colombo. The event offered a platform for business leaders to discuss investment opportunities, export facilitation, and digital transformation.

The panel featured Ms. Prangthip Kongridhisuksakorn (Royal Thai Embassy), Mr. Ruwan Waidyaratne (Honorary Consul, Cambodia), and Ms. Chandima Kiriwandala (Department of Commerce), moderated by SLGMBC President Mr. Nimal Ratnayake. The evening was supported by key sponsors, including Star Textile Processing Industries, Hayleys Advantis Group, and CHEC Port City Colombo.

Meeting with Her Excellency Ms. Marlar Than Htaik, Ambassador of Myanmar to Sri Lanka – 4th September 2024

A meeting was held with Her Excellency Ms. Marlar Than Htaik to explore avenues for strengthening Myanmar-Sri Lanka relations. The discussion focused on key areas, including enhancing bilateral trade by addressing trade barriers and identifying key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, textiles, and gems. The importance of organizing a Myanmar business delegation to Sri Lanka was highlighted, aiming to explore investment opportunities and foster partnerships. Joint tourism initiatives, cultural exchange programs, and infrastructure development were discussed to boost the hospitality sector. Cooperation in agriculture was emphasized, particularly in joint projects, improving market access, and technical collaboration. Education exchange programs were proposed to promote student and faculty mobility and joint research initiatives. Opportunities in the textile and garment industry were explored, focusing on market expansion, joint ventures, and regulatory alignment. Renewable energy collaboration was also discussed, with an emphasis on joint projects in solar and wind energy, knowledge sharing, and investment in green technology.

The discussions reinforced the commitment to strengthening economic and diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Meeting with the Newly appointed Ambassador-Designate to Thailand: 24th June 2024

The Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council met Ms. Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador-designate to Thailand, on 24th June 2024 at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to discuss opportunities for trade and investment collaboration in several key industry sectors.

During the meeting Ms Wijayanthi highlighted the potential for cooperation across various sectors, with a special focus on the opportunities presented by the Sri Lanka Thailand Free Trade Agreement, including leveraging Thailand’s expertise in agriculture and fisheries to address challenges such as high lauric acid levels in coconuts.

Educational exchanges were also highlighted, focusing on student exchange programmes, joint degree programmes, and faculty exchanges in IT, tourism, and pharmaceuticals. Prospects for joint ventures in the gem and jewellery sector, as well as collaborations with Thai healthcare services for training programmes and technology exchange to elevate Sri Lankan healthcare standards were also discussed.

The meeting also touched on working with THAI Airways to promote trade exhibition packages and enhance corporate sector engagement, and also to promote religious and cultural tourism between the two countries. Ms. Wijayanthi added that her role in overseeing operations in Cambodia and Laos, collaborating with local companies and the Export Development Board would add further impetus to potential trade collaborations.

Mr. Suriyakumara, President of SLGMBC, suggested organising a trade delegation from Thailand to Sri Lanka to foster stronger economic ties through B2B meetings, tourism promotion, and new export opportunities.

The meeting concluded with plans to enhance product value, quality, and packaging for the Thai market, address regulatory challenges, and leverage technology exchange in agriculture, fisheries, and power sectors.

Meeting with the Ambassador of Thailand to Strengthen Economic Cooperation: 25th July 2024

The President and Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council (SLGMBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce held a meeting with His Excellency Paitoon Mahapannaporn, the Ambassador of Thailand, and Ms. Prangtip Kongrittisuksakon, Counsellor of Thailand to Sri Lanka on 25th July 2024 at the Hilton Colombo Residences. The discussion focused on enhancing economic cooperation and exploring new investment opportunities between Thailand and Sri Lanka under the activation of the FTA signed.

During the meeting, both parties identified several key areas for collaboration, including boosting tourism, agriculture, and healthcare sectors, as well as increasing bilateral exports. One of the highlights was the potential to attract agricultural investments from Thailand, given the strong interest from Thai companies in investing in Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector.

The Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council remains committed to fostering these discussions and implementing the strategies discussed, paving the way for strengthened economic ties and mutual growth between the two nations.

13 th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council

The 13th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was held recently, at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo.

The event was graced by Her Excellency Daw Marlar Than Htaik, Ambassador of Myanmar; Her Excellency Trinh ThiTam, Ambassador of Vietnam; and Ms. Prangtip Kongrittisuksakon, Counselor of Thailand. And the guest speaker was Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Export Development Board (EDB).

Mr. Nimal Ratnayake, Chief Marketing Officer of Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC, was elected as the President for the year 2024-2025 by the Members. Mr. Tilak Goonawardane, Director/ Chief Financial Officer, MAC Holdings (Pvt) Ltd and Mr. Shameel Mohideen, Chief Executive Officer, Spillburg Holdings (Pvt) Ltd were elected as Vice Presidents. Member companies, Advantis Projects and Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, ASL Logistics CMB Pvt Ltd, Advantis Freight Pvt Ltd, OpenArc Systems Management Pvt Ltd, and Siam City Cement (Lanka) Ltd were elected to the committee. Mr. S.M.D. Suriyakumara of Maliban Bioventures Ltd, Mr. Ranil Seneviratne of Ranfer Teas (Pvt) Ltd, and Mr. Mahen Weerasekera of Capital Developers Ltd were appointed as Honorary Members to the committee.

The SLGMBC is dedicated to strengthening trade, investment, and tourism relationships between Sri Lanka and Greater Mekong nations, including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. The Council maintains strong diplomatic ties with Greater Mekong missions in Sri Lanka.

MOU with the Global Federation of Business Councils – 3 rd October 2023

The Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council signed an MOU with the Global Federation of Business Councils on the 3 rd of October 2023.

12 th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council

The 12 th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council was held at the Hilton Colombo Residences on 17 th October 2023.

The event was graced by His Excellency Han Thu Ambassador of Myanmar, Mr. Tran Trong Thanh, Counsellor & Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Vietnam, and Mr. K. J Weerasinghe, Chief Negotiator of the International Trade Office. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Thanh encouraged Sri Lankan companies to take advantage of the growing opportunities in Vietnam in sectors such as trade, investment, and tourism, to expand their businesses and develop bilateral trade and relations. He highlighted that being tropical countries with similar biological systems and agricultural products, Vietnam is keen to engage in knowledge exchange with Sri Lanka, particularly focusing on modern farming techniques and food processing. Mr. K. J. Weerasinghe, Chief Negotiator of the International Trade Office, provided in-depth insights on the Thailand Sri Lanka FTA followed by an interactive Q&A session that centered around the Government's emphasis on international trade agreements in line with its vision for economic growth. The discussion also delved into strategies for market and product diversification. Additionally, Mr. Weerasinghe offered a brief update on the current status of negotiations with various countries, such as Thailand, Singapore, China, and India. An overview of the Tariff Liberalization Program was also presented as an integral component of these trade agreements.

Mr. S.M.D. Suriyakumara, Chief Executive Officer of Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd, was re-elected as the President for the year 2023-2024 by the Members. In his address, he acknowledged the strong bond between Sri Lanka and Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar, characterized by close political and trade relations, and committed to pursuing opportunities for trade and investment with Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, with renewed vigour.

Meeting with The Government Delegation from Thailand Attending The FTA Negotiation Discussion held on 27th June 2023

The Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council had a meeting with the Thai GovernmentDelegation representing the Department of Trade Negotiations of Thailand together with the members of the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce (TSLCC) on the 27 th of June 2023. The invitees were H.E. Poj Harnpol, Ambassador of Thailand to Sri Lanka, Mrs. Aumaporn Futrakul Executive Director of Bureau of Asia, Africa and Middle East Department of Trade Negotiations Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, Mr. Tasorn Piyakesin, Trade officer Department of Trade Negotiations, Ms. Napasakorn Suwanraksa, Trade officer Department of Trade Negotiations, Mr. Sanjeewa Wickramasuriya, President of the Sri Lankan Association Thailand (SLAT), and Mrs. Ruvini Fernando, Director -PPP Advisory and Deals Strategy of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mrs. Aumaporn Futrakul, the Executive Director of the Bureau of Asia, Africa, and Middle East Department of Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, addressed the gathering on Thailand's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) strategy.

Further, a presentation was conducted by Mrs. Ruvini Fernando, Director -PPP Advisory and Deals Strategy of PricewaterhouseCoopers on the opportunities for business collaborations between Sri Lanka and Thailand. Mr. Shiran Fernando, the Chief Economist of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, delivered a presentation on the reform agenda and its implications for trade.

Over fifty participants attended the meeting and the participants were given the opportunity to raise questions from the Thai government representatives. The meeting was organised to provide the Sri Lankan business community based in Thailand with updated information on conducting business in Sri Lanka and the investment opportunities available for establishing joint ventures in the country. Moreover, it aimed to offer an overview of the business collaboration opportunities between Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Meeting with the Ambassador of Thailand held on 13th June 2023

A meeting was organised by the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong business council to facilitate discussions on trade-related activities and effectively address ongoing concerns in order to promote the continuous development of trade, investment, and tourism between Thailand and Sri Lanka. H.E. Poj Harnpol, the Ambassador of Thailand, addressed the gathering and emphasized the significance of identifying the potential product and service sectors that should be fostered in each market.

During the meeting, the participants had the opportunity to engage in one-on-one discussions with the Ambassador, allowing them to address specific challenges and concerns faced by their respective companies. Over thirty participants attended this meeting.

Meeting with the Commercial Counsellor of Vietnam held on 29th May 2023

The meeting was organised to facilitate discussions on trade-related activities and effectively address ongoing concerns in order to promote the continuous development of trade, investment, and tourism between Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Mr. Tran Trong Thanh, the Commercial Counsellor of Vietnam, addressed the gathering and delivered a presentation outlining the potential product and service sectors that should be promoted in each market.

The participants had the opportunity to raise questions from the Ambassador, allowing them to address specific concerns faced by their respective companies.