On January 22, CPG’s Constitutional Law and Politics / Human Rights Hub (CCHH) in collaboration with the Asian Governance Foundation (AGF) hosted the expert panel discussion “Citizens at the Center: Open Justice, Participation, and Accountability in Practice — Insights from Costa Rica and Thailand” at the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University.

Drawing on comparative experiences from Costa Rica—internationally recognized as a leader in Open Justice in Latin America— and Thailand—where the Cabinet last month approved the country’s application to join the Open Government Partnership (OGP)—, the discussion examined recent global developments in Open Justice initiatives, highlighting practical tools and institutional approaches that can strengthen citizen participation and enhance public trust in justice systems.

We extend our sincere thanks to Senator and CPG Research Fellow Angkhana Neelapaijit and Assistant Professor José Pablo Vargas Cubillo (University of Costa Rica) for their excellent presentations and insightful discussion.

We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to H.E. Kasit Piromya, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, who delivered the opening remarks in his capacity as CPG Senior Research Fellow, as well as to all participants for their valuable contributions to the discussion.