The series of talks, to be held Dec 6-17 at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia resort in Karon, is to focus on Thailand’s support of the UN’s development of its capacity for peacekeeping missions, and Thailand’s role in peacekeeping at an international level, said a government report of the meeting.
Rafael Barbieri from the UN Department of Peace Operations explained that the series of meetings followed PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s announced commitment to supporting UN peacekeeping operations at the Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Sept 28, 2015.
"The seminar aims to develop the planning process of the United Nations and member countries in sending military and police forces to join peacekeeping missions in various regions,” said Major Gen Nattapon Saengchan, Director of the Thai military’s Peace Center of Department of Military Operations.
Also present at the seminar yesterday were Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, Vice Admiral Sompong Nakthong, Commander of the 3rd Naval Area Command, Pol Maj Gen Sermphan Sirikong, Commander-in-Chief of Phuket Provincial Police, and Col Thoetsak Jaiaree of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations in New York.
The event is being attended by 35 people from 22 United Nations member countries.
“It can be seen that throughout the past the relationship between the UN and Thailand has always been good and stable, leading to this seminar. This can be seen by obvious examples of strong ties in 2016-2017, which was the first time that Thailand had deployed military forces to assist in peace operations in Sudan,” Mr Barbieri noted.