On 1 March 2011, Mr. Norachit Sinhaseni, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations, deposited on behalf of Thailand, the Instrument of Ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption 2003 with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Consequently, Thailand became the 149th party to the Convention and, in accordance with its article 68 (2), the Convention will enter into force for Thailand on 31 March 2011.
The United Nations Convention against Corruption 2003 is the first legally binding international anti-corruption instrument, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 31 October 2003 and entered into force on 14 December 2005. Since then, the Convention, which currently has 150 parties (as of 13 March 2011), has become the most important driving force in international efforts against corruption.
The Convention provides a comprehensive framework for the promotion and strengthening of measures to prevent and combat corruption more effectively and efficiently, which the parties to the Convention can use as a basis for the improvement of their laws, institutions and practices. It contains 8 Chapters and 71 Articles, including provisions on preventive measures, criminalisation and law enforcement, international cooperation, asset recovery, technical assistance, information exchange and mechanisms for implementation.
The ratification of the Convention is an important milestone for Thailand in its work towards a more transparent and accountable governance and also represents a significant political commitment against corruption. Particularly, the Convention will have a number of positive implications on Thailand’s anti-corruption policies and also help law enforcement agencies of Thailand in their investigation and prosecution of offenders as well as in the recovery of assets. Ultimately, the Convention can help promote long-term economic, political and social stability in Thailand.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th