The 3rd Annual Asia Pacific Ireland Business Forum was held in Bangkok on Friday, 16 October 2009, hosted by the Irish Thai Chamber of Commerce Held for the first time in Thailand (when the Asian Gaelic Games were held in Phuket from 2000-2002, the APIBF had not yet been introduced), to an audience of over 200 delegates and media, keynote speakers at this landmark event included H.E. Korn Chatikavanij, Finance Minister of Thailand & Dick Spring - former Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) & Foreign Minister of Ireland.

With Irish foreign direct investment outflows in 2008 at US$13.5 billion, the Thai Finance Minister & the Ambassador of Ireland, H.E. Eugene Hutchinson, lauded this year’s APIBF as delivering a strong boost to Thai-Irish bilateral relations.

Following the APIBF, leading Irish business publication, Business & Finance, presented its inaugural Asia Pacific Ireland Business Awards at a gala luncheon.