Bangkok – September 18-19, 2024
The Foreign Affairs Division, Technical Services and Planning Bureau (TSP) of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), organized the “National Policy Dialogue on Transnational Organized Crime in a Border Management Framework: Implementing Recommendations from the Border Management Cooperation Dialogue for the ASEAN Region.” This event, part of the “Partnership Building and Consultation” activities under the NTS-Mekong Watch Project. It was held at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park Hotel.
The workshop was opened by Mr. Chamnarnwit Terat, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, with a welcoming address by Mr. Masood Karimi Pour, UNODC’s representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Key attendees included Ms. Wajiraporn Amatayakul, Director of TSP, representing DOPA, and Ms. Suchada Mekthara, Director of the ASEAN Political and Security Affairs Division.
The workshop aimed to gather feedback and recommendations for comprehensive and inclusive border management based on the ASEAN Border Management Cooperation Roadmap, proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It brought together 60 participants, including representatives from security agencies, district officers, and relevant officials, to discuss border management and emerging security threats.
Key Themes: From Plan to Action The workshop focused on four main components of the ASEAN Border Management Roadmap:
- Developing a national strategy aligned with the ASEAN roadmap.
- Enhancing information sharing while considering data sensitivity and mutual trust.
- Strengthening law enforcement and institutional capacity.
- Empowering border communities.
The discussions highlighted the need to make border management a national agenda for unity and direction. Participants emphasized the importance of building trust for effective information sharing and strengthening the Border Liaison Office (BLO) framework to address emerging threats.
Capacity Building and Technology Integration
The workshop underscored the dynamic nature of emerging security threats, such as online fraud and transnational organized crime. It called for capacity building, knowledge transfer, and the adoption of advanced technologies, including real-time CCTV monitoring, to support law enforcement. Collaboration between central and regional agencies was also stressed, particularly in engaging border communities.
Emerging Security Threats: Complexities and Solutions
A panel discussion on Non-Traditional Security (NTS) and Collaborative International Efforts in Border Security shed light on challenges like transnational organized crime using casinos for money laundering and operating in special economic zones. Experts from various security agencies proposed developing a National Transnational Crime Suppression Plan for unified action across agencies.
Participants and Supporting Agencies
Agencies represented at the workshop included the National Security Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Narcotics Control Board, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Royal Thai Armed Forces, Customs Department, Department of Disease Control, Immigration Bureau, Central Investigation Bureau, Anti-Money Laundering Office, and National Intelligence Agency.
NTS-Mekong Watch: Strengthening Regional Cooperation
The NTS-Mekong Watch Project, supported by the 6th Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF) and implemented by the Mekong Institute, aims to integrate regional collaboration to tackle border crimes in Thai-Lao and Thai-Cambodian border areas. Key focuses include combating human trafficking, drug smuggling, and illegal immigration, emphasizing public participation, legal awareness, humanitarian approaches, and non-discriminatory law enforcement.
Through fostering trust and cooperation, parallel communities along borders can become stronger, effectively shielding against emerging security threats and ensuring sustainable regional stability.
