Convened under the overarching theme of "Integrating Knowledge for Social Sustainability," the inaugural Bangkok Forum was held on October 24-25, 2018. President Park In-kook of Chey Institute for Advanced Studies and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn delivered welcoming remarks. The keynote speakers included: Dr. Supachai Panitchapakdi, Former Director General of WTO and Former Secretary General of UNCTAD; Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, UN Secretary General's High-Level Advisory Board Member on Mediation and Former Under-Secretary General of the UN; and Dr. Hongjoo Hahm, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The subsequent sessions focused on the topics ranging from Asian development and inequality, social justice, university and public engagement to sustainable development.

Plenary Session I: Tackling Inequality with Enabling Knowledge in Asian Development
Plenary Session II: Challenges of Social Justice in Asia
Plenary Session III: University and Public Engagement: Transgressive Learning and Action
Plenary Session IV: Peddling Inequality to Social Sustainability in ASEAN
Parallel Session I:
- Crises of Sustainability in ASEAN: Urgent Proposals for Creative Institutionalization of Transformative Learning
- Development of a Framework for the Local Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
- Ecological Crises, Knowledge Imbalances and Innovation Strategy
Parallel Session II:
- Human Capital Social Sustainability in the Context of Aging Asian Society
- The Heartware of Sustainability - Faith, Spirituality, and Local Wisdom
- The Role of Think Tanks as Driving Force for a More Sustainable Asia