International Conference “Good Policing and Police Reform in Thai and International Perspectives”
Agenda
Welcoming Words:
Henning Glaser, Director of the German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG)
Panel I: International Perspectives on Police Reform
Prof. Jon Quah, Consultant on anti-corruption strategies and civil service reform in Asian countries, Singapore
Q&A
Lunch
Panel II: Police Reform in Thailand: Issues, Challenges, History
Speakers:
Pol. Col. Virute Sirisawasdibutre, Former Deputy of Commander, Office of the Inspector General, Royal Thai Police
Asst. Prof. Pol. Lt. Col. Dr. Krisanaphong Poothakool, Faculty of Police Science, Royal Police Cadet Academy and Chairman, Criminology and Justice Administration Program, College of Government, Rangsit University
Asst. Prof. Pol. Capt. Dr. Vichien Tansirikongkhon, Faculty of Political Science and Law, Burapha University
Discussant:
Prof. Narong Jaiharn, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pokpong Srisanit, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Q&A
Coffee break
Panel III: Police Reform in Thailand: Views from the Police
Pol. Col. Virute Sirisawasdibutre, Former Deputy of Commander, Office of the Inspector General, Royal Thai Police
Asst. Prof. Pol. Capt. Dr. Vichien Tansirikongkhon, Faculty of Political Science and Law, Burapha University
Discussant:
Prof. Narong Jaiharn, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Pol. Sr. Col. Dr. Siriphon Kusonsinwut, Deputy of Commander, Criminal Affairs Division, Royal Thai Police
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pokpong Srisanit, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Q&A
Proposals for the “Way Ahead” and Open Discussion Forum
Concluding remarks
Henning Glaser, Director of the German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG)
Asst. Prof. Pol. Capt. Dr. Vichien Tansirikongkhon, Faculty of Political Science and Law, Burapha University
Report
On 4 December 2017, CPG in cooperation with Hanns Seidel Foundation and Burapha University hosted an international conference on the topic “Good Policing and Police Reform in Thai and International Perspectives” at the Faculty of Law of Thammasat University in Bangkok. The conference offered a forum to discuss efforts to reform the Royal Thai Police, including the work of the most recent Police Reform Committee that was set up by PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha earlier in July this year. It furthermore provided international perspectives on police reform, discussing both Taiwan and Singapore and relating their efforts to Thailand. The aim of the conference was to lay out areas both where reform is needed most urgently, as well as to explore the main problems relating to implementation of reform.
After Henning Glaser, Director, German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG), Faculty of Law, Thammasat University and Karl-Peter Schoenfisch, Director of Hanns Seidel Foundation’s Laos/Thailand Office shared their opening remarks, Prof. Jon Quah, Anti-corruption and civil service reform expert, NUS Singapore (Ret.), offered a detailed presentation on police reform in Singapore and what experiences could be helpful for successful reform in Thailand. His presentation was followed by a case study on police reform in Taiwan by Japan-based Taiwanese researcher Hsu Jen‐Shuo, Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Law, Japan. After the presentations, participants of the seminar engaged with the two speakers in a panel discussion, moderated by CPG Program Officer Jan Kliem.
The afternoon saw two panels discussing police reform in Thailand in great depth. Both panels were moderated by Asst. Prof. Pol. Capt. Dr. Vichien Tansirikongkhon, Faculty of Political Science and Law, Burapha University. The two panels discussed reform needs and efforts by firstly laying out reform history, challenges and elaborating on the core aspects of what is currently discussed by the police reform committee and then, in the second panel taking the perspective of what is discussed within the police force and what they see as the main issues and challenges of reform. The two panels, in addition to its moderator, consisted of highly distinguished academics and members of the police force: Pol. Col. Virute Sirisawasdibutre, Former Deputy of Commander, Office of the Inspector General, Royal Thai Police; Pol. Sr. Col. Dr. Siriphon Kusonsinwut, Deputy of Commander, Criminal Affairs Division, Royal Thai Police; Prof. Narong Jaiharn, former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, Asst. Prof. Pol. Lt. Col. Dr. Krisanaphong Poothakool, Faculty of Police Science, Royal Police Cadet Academy and Chairman, Criminology and Justice Administration Program, College of Government, Rangsit University and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pokpong Srisanit, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University. Some highlights of the discussions focused on what role the public prosecutor should play in investigations, decentralisation as well as the need to increase salaries of the RTP.
After an extensive Q&A, including questions and comments from a number of present NGO representatives and police attachés, CPG Director Henning Glaser concluded a very successful and interesting seminar with his closing remarks.
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