On December 2, 2022, the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the International Detention Coalition (IDC), hosted a seminar on “Promoting the right perception of migrants” The objective of the seminar was to identify ways and means to effectively promote positive and correct public perception and attitude towards migrants in Thailand, with the view to eliminating stigmatization of and discrimination against them and promoting inclusion of migrants in Thai society. The seminar provided an opportunity for participants from relevant sectors, including government agencies, civil society, med,ia and international organizations, to share their views on what can be done and how they can work together to make progress in the implementation of the pledge made by Thailand at the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) in New York in May 2022 on this particular issue.

Mrs. Eksiri Pintaruchi, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations delivered the opening remarks, followed by presentations on (1) relevant objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) by a representative from m International Organization for Migration (IOM), (2) research on “public attitude toward migrant workers in Thailand” by a representative from the International Labour Organizations (ILO), and (3) research on “Thai public perception towards people in forced migration context through media and designed, including actors that shape perspectives and attitudes on migrants” by a representative of Sidekick Social Agency.

The brainstorming session started with reflection on the research’s outcomes by Dr. Bhanubhtra Jittiang from the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University, and Ms. Kultida Samabuddhi, an independent journalist followed by comments from participants, which led to key recommendations as follows:

(1) The first important step is to promote awareness among broader audiences in the public about the existence of migrants in Thai society and their contribution to Thailand’s socio-economic development. We should try to promote understanding among Thai people that, in the context of an aging population, Thailand needs to rely on the migrant workforce to fulfill its demand for labour and to sustain domestic consumption. This understanding will form an essential foundation for the next steps, which are the promotion of correct and positive public attitudes toward migrants and inclusion of migrants in Thai society.

(2) Media has very crucial role in creating and shaping public awareness, perception, and impression about migrants, which will, in turn, shape Thai people’s attitudes and behaviors toward migrants. Consequently, there should be more training capacity-building activities for media personnel to ensure that they have adequate knowledge and understanding of issues relating to migrants so they can report and convey the right messages.

(3) There should be more activities to give Thai people opportunities for more exposure and direct interactions with migrants, including opportunities for them to casually chat or do some social activities together. Partners should also try to explore and presenmigrants'ts issues from new and creative perspectives, for example, by showcasing their food, culture, custom, and community activities, with a view to promoting more appreciation and positive public attitude towards migrants.