The Delegation of the European Union to Thailand, together with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted a seminar entitled Migration Management: Sharing Experiences between Europe and Thailand. An important objective of the meeting was to compare notes on the current challenges facing migration policy in Thailand and Europe and learn from experiences and best practices. The seminar is expected to be a stepping stone for further collaborations and a stronger partnership on this crucial theme. The seminar took place on 13 and 14 June at the Banyan Tree Hotel in Bangkok. 'Migration is one of the big themes of our time, in Thailand as well as in the European Union. During this seminar many differences emerged between the types of migration in Thailand and the EU and the way they are managed, but we also came to appreciate many similarities as well', said Ambassador David LIPMAN, Head of the Delegation of the European Union. 'We did not only talk about best practices in the EU, but also of challenges and how we try to address them. Yet, the seminar was not only for the EU to bring our experiences to Thailand — it was also an opportunity for us to better understand how migration flows are managed in Thailand.'
Ms. Pornprapai Ganjanarintr, Director-General of the Department of European Affairs noted that, with the recognition that migration will continue to provide opportunities and inevitable downside risks accompanying enhanced connectivity in the region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed this seminar as a platform for exchange of experiences between Thailand and the EU on this important issue. The Ministry appreciates the EU’s positive response to the Thai proposal, as well as its financial contribution and valuable expertise extended to this workshop. She emphasized, however, that the underlying issue behind migration is fundamentally economic. The long-term solution to migration, therefore, has to be narrowing the developmental gap and forging partnerships among relevant countries, which are some of the main goals of ASEAN integration.
Specialists from the European Union, Thailand and international organisations presented their views and engaged in open and frank discussion on the most pertinent themes in the current debate on migration, including international framework for protection of asylum seekers and refugees, border management and human trafficking. Thai Speakers included specialists from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Office of the National Security Council; the Ministry of Interior's Operation Centre for Displaced Persons; and the Immigration Bureau. The international speakers list included representatives from the European Union's Directorate General for Development Cooperation DEVCO, European border management agency FRONTEX; the International Organisation for Migration (IOM); and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). There was also a dedicated session on the role of civil society.
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