The event is billed as a visionary community and is slated to be the biggest high-level international confab in Thailand this year. Its founder is Frank-Juergen Richter, who has worked for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Thai co-chairman is Vachara Phanchet, chairman of Sittipol Holdings.

Other international co-chairmen are Sidek Hassan, chairman of Petronas in Malaysia; Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Bank in Singapore; Lee Hee-beom, vice chairman of LG International in South Korea; Shoei Yamana, CEO of Konica Minolta in Japan; and Surin Pitsuwan, former Aseansecretary-general.

The agenda comprises issues important to the future of Asia including growth, youth development, venture capital, branding, trust building, technology disruption, innovation and education, and leadership.

“This is the first time we| come to Asia, which we believe is where the future for the global economy lies,” Richter said |recently.

All of Horasis’ past meetings including those on China and India have been held in Europe since its inception 11 years ago.

Vachara said the event would be a high-level networking platform. It would be enormously beneficial to Thailand, which is now undergoing political and economic transformations.

Among the participants and speakers will be a former Japanese prime minister, a prime minister and ministers from Asean member countries, and top executives of leading companies such as HIS, Credit Suisse, Tesco, 500Startups, Temasek Management Services, Myanmar Capital, SAP, Thien Duc Trading and Globis.

Thai participants will include senior executives of Bangkok Bank, Kasikornbank, McThai, Bangkok Hospital, True and Thai Beverage.

During a stopover in Bangkok, Richter said recent terrorist atrocities in Europe would mean a further dampening of European economies in the next few years.

“Maybe Asia could support Europe by investing there,” he said.

The economist sees a “new normal” for China as it adjusts to a new growth outlook driven by innovation, as well as a positive outlook for Asean including Thailand as the regional automobile hub among others.

He is also bullish on Myanmar with its abundant resources and young working population. All these would add to Asean having several major economic partners to fulfil its growth path.

“Horasis [a Greek word for vision] stands for continuous dialogues and trust. Our platform is designed for CEOs to do business together,” he said.

Vachara said Horasis would be welcomed to have regular annual meetings in Thailand and it would play a role in taking the region to another level.

The organisers of Horasis Bangkok include the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, Green World City Organisation and Pacific Basin Economic Council.