On 18 June 2014, Ms. Pornprapai Ganjanarintr, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations, attended the opening of the 4th Refugee Film Festival organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Thailand during 19-24 June 2014 at SF World Cinema, Central World Plaza.  The film festival is part of the commemoration of the World Refugee Day on 20 June 2014 in order to raise public awareness of the situation and challenges faced by refugees around the world.

In her opening remark, the Director-General stated that Thailand has supported more than 130,000 displaced persons from Myanmar in 9 temporary shelters along the border. Given various challenges and constraints surrounding their plight, Thailand continues to work together with the international community to find viable solutions for the displaced persons who need protection. On this occasion, she expressed appreciation to the UNHCR, donor and resettlement countries as well as other partners for their continued support in this endeavor over the past 30 years. She also highlighted the need for the international community to join hands, in the good spirit of humanitarianism and international responsibility, to assist these people in starting their lives afresh in safety and with dignity.

Mrs. Mireille Girard, UNHCR representative to Thailand, expressed gratitude to the Royal Thai Government for its continued assistance rendered to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons for the past 3 decades. She expressed her deep appreciation to the Thai people for their interest in the film festival, which also reflects their awareness of the refugee issues. Mrs. Girard voiced the challenges and harsh condition that refugees experienced. Even today, the number of refugees worldwide continues to increase. International cooperation on the basis of burden-sharing is needed in the search for their viable solutions.