On 6 October 2026, H.E. Mr. Pongprach Makchang, Ambassador of Thailand to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accompanied by Mr. Natee Vichitsorasatra, Minister Counsellor, and Mr. Atiboot Petwisit, Minister Counsellor (Investment), joined the delegation of Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of the ASEAN Riyadh Committee (ARC), led by H.E. Dato' Syed Mohamad Bakri, Ambassador of Malaysia and Chair of the ARC, on an official visit to the headquarters of the GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) in Dammam. The delegation was received by Eng. Ahmed Ali Al-Ebrahim, Chief Executive Officer of the GCCIA, for an executive briefing and an official tour of the GCC Interconnection Main Control Center.

During the visit, the ARC delegation engaged in an in-depth exchange of views with GCCIA leadership on best practices in regional grid integration, particularly equitable cost-benefit allocation mechanisms, 24/7 centralized control center operations equipped with renewable energy forecasting technology, institutional separation of technical cooperation from political considerations, and binding multilateral legal agreements. These operational benchmarks serve as valuable lessons and pathways for advancing the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) and multilateral cross-border power trade, marking a significant milestone in enhancing energy security and driving a sustainable transition to clean energy across both regions.