The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was honoured to receive UNICEF Executive Board (consisting of ambassadors and permanent representatives of Costa Rica (President), Ethiopia, Slovakia to the United Nations in New York and ambassador and deputy permanent representative of Denmark) to Thailand during 31 October – 4 November 2022. On 31 October 2022, the Director-General of the Department of International Organizations, as well as representatives from relevant Thai agencies, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Ministry of Public Health had the opportunity to engage and interact with UNICEF Executive Board to exchange views and experiences related to the development and the rights of children in the country. UNICEF Executive Board also met with the Secretary-General of the Office of National Economic and Social Development Council to discuss national development planning, which continues to place high importance on children. During the visit, UNICEF Executive Board also had dialogues with relevant civil society organizations and UNICEF’s Young People Advisory Board (YPAB) to learn from their perspectives as well as their works and activities with UNICEF.

In addition, UNICEF Executive Board paid visits to several UNICEF’s projects, which operate in partnership and collaboration with relevant Thai agencies, civil society organizations and corporate partners, such as (1) “mobile libraries run at school” project, aimed at helping migrant children access learning (carried out in collaboration with the Office of the Basic Education Commission and UNICEF’s corporate partner), (2) Early Childhood Development Center and Schools that helped mitigating the impact of COVID-19, including through training of teachers and supporting learning recovery, preventing drop-outs, advancing equitable education and making education and learning accessible to migrant and stateless children. and (3) “Chiang Mai Framework for Action” aimed at improving access to basic services and promoting decent living conditions for migrant children in construction camps.

Thailand continues to attach high priority to child development and children’s rights and well-being. Some of its known achievements include lowering infant mortality rates, equal access to quality education of 12 years and child support grants. UNICEF has been a long-standing partner who has assisted and contributed to Thailand’s progress in these areas. Thailand’s efforts are also in line with its international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its 3 Optional Protocols, of which Thailand is a party.