From 1992 for five years, the SPAF supported the International Master's Degree Program in Rural Development Management (MRDM), which was implemented by Research and Development Institute of Khon Kaen University. This seminar, in fact, played a role in wrapping up the 5-year master's degree program by assessing impacts of the program as well as by discussing future prospects of rural development in the Mekong Sub-region.

The international seminar was held from December 2-4, 1996 in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Former participants of the MRDM and high ranking administrators from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand were invited to share their expertise in the seminar. The alumni of the MRDM also held a separated meeting project in the near future. Former MRDM students are working on this. It a project would be carried out by the alumni, this would be an extensive product of the MRDM.

A booklet was published upon completion of the seminar.