On 26-27 June 2019, the Department of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Royal Thai Police jointly organised a “Workshop on Diplomatic Privilege and Immunity, and Practices towards Diplomatic Privileged Persons, for Police Officers” at the Sapphire Meeting Room, Impact Muang Thong Thani. On each day of the workshop, approximately 120 police officers from various units including the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Special Branch, the Immigration Bureau and the Tourist Police Bureau, as well as local police officers from provinces that host consulates and international organisations such as Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Songkhla and Phuket actively volunteered to participate in the workshop. The 1st day of the workshop was kicked off with the welcoming remarks delivered by Mr. Vosita Vorasaph, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Police Colonel Surapan Thaiprasert, Deputy Commander of Foreign Affairs Division. Meanwhile, Mrs. Chanida Kamalanavin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Police Colonel Panitan Santipet, Deputy Commander of Foreign Affairs Division, delivered the opening remarks to the participants on the 2nd day of the workshop.

The two-day workshop aimed at enhancing knowledge and understanding of participating police officers on diplomatic privileges and immunities under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, as well as related agreements between international organisations and the Royal Thai Government. Moreover, during the simulation workshop, participating police officers had the opportunity to brainstorm and exchange views and lessons-learned regarding appropriate practices towards diplomatic privileged persons on specific topics and situations. The topics included traffic law violations, appropriate security measures for the privileged premises, impersonation of diplomatic privileged persons, and involvement of diplomatic privileged persons in serious crimes, among others. Overall, the workshop helped enhance understanding on privilege and immunity matters and gave participating police officers greater confidence in dealing with different cases relating to diplomatic privileged persons, on the basis that all diplomatic privileged persons must respect and follow Thai laws. Both the Department of Protocol and the Royal Thai Police recognise the workshop as a crucial mechanism to strengthen Thai law enforcement as well as foster cooperation between Thai government agencies and the diplomatic community and therefore have jointly organised the workshops over the past several years. Studies show that the workshop helps strengthen understanding and promote closer cooperation between the Royal Thai Police and Diplomatic and Consular Missions in Thailand.

At present, the Department of Protocol ensures facilitation of diplomatic privileges and immunities to over 10,000 diplomatic privileged persons and more than 200 international organisations. The number of diplomatic privileged persons in Thailand is likely to grow significantly due to the Royal Thai Government’s policy of promoting Thailand as the hub of international organisations and meetings in Asia, or the “Geneva of Asia”. Since the entry into force of the Act on Privileges and Immunities for International Organisations and International Conferences in Thailand on 22 November 2018, approximately 10 international organisations have indicated their intention to open offices in Thailand.