On 12 February 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined hands with the Ministry of Justice to host an event to officially announce the “National Agenda: Human Rights as a Driving Force of Thailand 4.0 towards Sustainable Development” at Santi Maitree Building, Government House. The event was presided over by Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, during which he also gave a keynote address. The opening remarks were presented by H.E. Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, and H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

 

In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized a special exhibition on His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s speeches and addresses relating to human rights as well as a book launch of “Little Chick and Little Duck. We are different, we are friends”, as part of the Ministry’s Human Rights Education Series.

 

During the event, the Prime Minister reiterated that the announcement of this national agenda demonstrated the Royal Thai Government’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in the country. Thailand has shown positive progress in various fields, particularly on human trafficking, freedom of expression, rights to natural resources and environment, rights of prisoners and detainees. Furthermore, the Government has attached great importance to business and human rights, taking into account the three pillars (respect, protect and remedy) of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which would help promote social responsibility and respect for human rights amid the business sector.

 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the close cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice in promoting and protecting human rights. “Protection is better than remedy,” the Minister also stressed the importance of promoting awareness and values amongst the youth on their responsibilities and respect for the rights’ of others. He also expressed the Ministry’s roles to connect Thailand with the international community, and vice versa, by sharing Thailand’s best practices and learning from others to improve the human rights standards in Thailand. In addition, Thailand has promoted technical cooperation and capacity-building at the regional and international levels, as well as has underlined the mutually reinforcing aspects of the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in which Thailand has shared Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) as a practical approach to sustainable development.

 

Ms. Deidre Boyd, UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. What Tingsamitr, President of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, Mr. Suphachai Chearavanont, President of UN Global Compact Network Thailand, Ms. Asila Dortae, Youth representative, as well as Professor Emeritus Vitit Muntarbhorn, Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University, and Dr. Seree Nonthasoot, Thailand Representative to ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, also delivered remarks at the event.