On 12 February 2018, Mr. Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) paid a courtesy call on Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of his visit to Thailand during 10 – 12 February 2018, as guest of the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP).

 

Mr. Amano expressed his appreciation for Thailand’s support of his re-appointment as Director General of the IAEA for a third term and considered Thailand an ‘advanced user of nuclear technology,’ as well as commended Thailand’s efforts in assisting neighboring countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar in strengthening peaceful application of nuclear technology. The Director General also expressed appreciation for Thailand’s cooperation with the IAEA, especiallyon the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) for mosquitoes, which can contribute to the reduction of mosquito-related diseases like the Zika virus. Additionally, Mr. Amano commended Thailand on the entry into force of the Nuclear Energy for Peace Act, B.E. 2559 (2016), which has enabled Thailand to move forward on the ratification or accession of nuclear weapons-related agreements, such as the Additional Protocol to the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement under the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which entered into force on 17 November 2017.

 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs noted the good cooperation between Thailand and the IAEA, and referred to Thailand’s proposal to host an IAEA Collaborating Center on Isotope Hydrology, which would be beneficial to Thailand and the ASEAN/Asia-Pacific region. The Minister also indicated that with Thailand taking up the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2019, there would be opportunities to further strengthen ASEAN and IAEA relations.

 

Furthermore, the Director General provided updates and exchanged views with the Minister on the Iran Nuclear Deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – JCPOA) and the situation in the Korean Peninsula.