On 1 February 2013, Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi, Permanent Representative to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva, signed, on behalf of the Royal Thai Government, the Host Country Agreement for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 16th Conference of Parties to be held in Bangkok during 3-14 March 2013. The Agreement was signed with Mr. John Scanlon, Secretary-General of CITES at the International Environment House, Geneva.