Thailand was re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in Category “C” at the elections held during the 29th Regular Session of the IMO Assembly at the headquarters of the IMO in London on 27th November 2015. Thailand received 112 out of the total of 155 votes casted. This is the 6th continuous term that Thailand will be serving in the IMO Council, under Category “C”, since it was first elected in 2006.

The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization. It comprises 40 member states, serving a two-year term, divided under 3 categories as follows:

          Category A: 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services.
          Category B: 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade.
          Category C: 20 States not elected under (a) or (b) above which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation, and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.

The IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations. Its objective is to be a central body to promote cooperation among member states in setting measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships. It was established in 1959 and currently has 171 member states. It has its headquarters in London, the United Kingdom, and 4 regional offices in Kenya, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and the Philippines.