Q&A at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Photo: Nicole Adenauer

When we visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I had two burning questions.

I got to ask one during our meeting in the conference room, and one in a slightly more casual setting as we waited for lunch to be served.

Question #1: Since Thailand takes its fight against human trafficking so seriously, why has Thailand not ratified the Trafficking Protocol? Does Thailand have any plans to do so?

First Secretary of the Social Division in the International Organizations Department, Ms Maratee Nalita Andamo, took my question.

Andamo: As you know, Thailand just had its new anti-trafficking law enter into force on June 5, 2008. We do have plans to ratify the Palermo Protocol, but because it supplements the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, there are some clauses in the treaty that need to be fulfilled domestically. Once we have done this, we will ratify the Protocol.

Question #2: Will there really be a human rights monitoring body as mandated by the ASEAN Charter?

[Ms Kanchana Patarachoke (pictured above), Director of the North America Division, and I were chatting about a number of things when I brought the topic of the ASEAN Charter up.]

Patarachoke: Yes! In fact we are in the process of getting the working group for the monitoring body up and running.

Me: Oh but isn’t there an unofficial one already set-up?

Patarachoke: Oh yes, but that one has been around for a long time already.

Me: So this is the working group that will actually make the monitoring body happen?

Patarachoke: Yes.

Me: Let’s hope so. (smile)

Some of you may be excited to know that many of the foreign affairs officials were educated at Georgetown University, including Ms Patarachoke!

This is everyone!

Photo: Andrea Bertone

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