TRACIT: Exposing Illicit Trade's Impact on the ASEAN Community

Illicit trade undermines tax revenue, public health and legitimate business across Southeast Asia, and it directly threatens the goals of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. TRACIT, in partnership with the EU-ASEAN Business Council, had produced a report examining that impact in detail.

A report only changes policy if the right people read about it. In Thailand, the launch needed exposure in tier-one media with real influence on policymakers, so that the findings reached the officials shaping trade, customs and enforcement decisions.

Ruder Finn Era's Thailand team was appointed public relations agency for the launch, with a clear task: drive media exposure in the tier-one outlets that engage policymakers in Thailand. The team organised the panel discussion and report reveal in Bangkok and arranged executive interviews around it.

Media selection focused on business, policy and broadcast titles with government readership, including Thansettakij, Bangkokbiznews, Channel 7, Channel 9, TNN, Thai PBS, BrandAge and Nikkei. The result was coverage that framed illicit trade as an economic and regional integration issue rather than a niche enforcement matter.