The Royal Thai Government announced the nomination of Dr. Vilawan Mangklatanakul, Director-General of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department, as a candidate for the International Law Commission (ILC) for the term 2023-2027, the election of which is scheduled to be held this November during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Thailand is a strong supporter of a rule-based multilateral system and international cooperation. Only through such cooperation, long-term sustainable development and shared benefits can be achieved. Thailand firmly believes that international law is one of the most important pillars in maintaining international order and promoting such international cooperation. For these reasons, the Royal Thai Government has decided to once again present its candidate to the ILC. Dr. Vilawan will be the first female candidate from Thailand nominated for this prestigious position and if elected, Dr. Vilawan will be the first female lawyer from Thailand and ASEAN to serve in the International Law Commission.

Throughout her 25-year diplomatic career, Dr. Vilawan has played important roles in various international negotiations and meetings such as chief negotiator for Bilateral Investment Agreements (BITs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and in advocating perspectives of developing countries in the global initiative on the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) reform, particularly in the context of the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She also has a keen interest in alternative dispute settlement and international law on climate change.

Beyond her role as legal adviser to the Royal Thai Government on international law, Dr. Vilawan is well-known in Thailand’s legal circle and academia. She regularly participates in lectures as well as seminars on international law at top universities at both home and abroad bringing her practical experiences to the discussions.

Dr. Vilawan has a particular interest in contributing to the global issues which address pressing concerns of the international community including the sea-level rise and international law in relation to pandemics which are issues that Thailand has particular interests. She is also keen to work on topics which have long been on the long-term agenda of the ILC, especially fair and equitable treatment provisions in international investment law and the settlement of international disputes to which international organizations are parties.

The ILC was established in 1947 to fulfill the mandate of the General Assembly, under article 13 (1) (a) of the UN Charter to initiate studies and make recommendations for the progressive development of international law and its codification. The ILC currently has 34 members from five different regions. Thailand is part of the Asia-Pacific region which has eight seats available for the ILC membership for the term 2023-2027. Until now, there have been three prominent Thai lawyers elected to serve in the ILC, namely H.E.Dr. Thanat Khoman, former Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Sompong Sujaritkul, and Dr. Kriangsak Kittichaiseri.

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