The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand co-hosted a Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) Sherpa meeting with the United States Sherpa Team during 12 – 13 February 2015 at the Sheraton Resort and Spa in Cha-Am/ Hua Hin.  The Sherpa meeting was the second such meeting to prepare for the 2016 NSS scheduled to be held in the United States of America.  The Sherpa meeting was well attended by representatives of Member States as well as the international organisations who are observers to the NSS process.  Discussions continued on from the first Sherpa meeting held in October 2014 in Washington DC, regarding how to take forward the work of strengthening the nuclear security architecture both at the national and global levels leading to 2016 NSS and beyond.

In the evening of 12 February 2015, Mr. Norachit Sinhaseni, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, hosted a dinner in honour of participants to the Sherpa meeting.  In his dinner remarks, he emphasised the need for enhanced international cooperation as an important tool in strengthening nuclear security.

Thailand attaches great importance to the issue of nuclear security and has participated in the Nuclear Security Summit since its inaugural meeting in 2010 in Washington, D.C., United States of America.  From Washington, D.C. to Seoul to The Hague, Thailand has long underlined the need to enhance and strengthen nuclear security through international cooperation, capacity building efforts, raising public awareness and the participation of all stakeholders.

Additionally, Thailand’s commitment to enhancing cooperation on nuclear security is evidenced through its constructive role as an active member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), its commitment to effective implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1540 on non-proliferation efforts and its participation in other initiatives such as the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) and the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).  At the regional level, Thailand initiated the establishment of the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) and continues to promote the cooperation among regulatory bodies to strengthen nuclear safety and security in the region.

Thailand is presenting its bid for a non-permanent seat in the UNSC for the 2017-2018 term and is committed to, among other things, supporting the work of the international community through this important forum to strengthen nuclear security around the world.