On 5 July 2023, the Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs (DVIFA) organized the opening ceremony of the 2023 Knowledge of Diplomacy (KOD) for members of diplomatic corps in Thailand and Thai diplomats. On this occasion, Mr. Phrommes Bhaholpolbhayuhasena, Ambassador attached to the Ministry, delivered opening remarks, and Mr. Narat Vidyananda, Minister Counsellor, delivered a welcome speech on behalf of the Director of the DVIFA.

Held from 5 – 27 July 2023, the 2023 KOD aims to share Thailand’s knowledge and experiences on foreign policy, innovation, and sustainable development, as well as strengthening network and cooperation between Thai Foreign Service Officers and members of the diplomatic corps. Throughout the course, the participants will be given lectures by experts on various topics, including Thai diplomacy, Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model, Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), and Thailand’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, the participants will also have a number of excursions to leading public and private agencies in innovation and sustainability, such as Rice Science Center, Energy Absolute, and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).

Since 2013, the DVIFA has organized 7 KOD courses, and 126 participants from 67 countries worldwide have joined the program throughout the years. In 2023, the course is well-attended by a total of 23 diplomats comprising 7 Thai diplomats and 16 foreign diplomats from various missions in Thailand. These include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Korea and Viet Nam.