Statements by the Delegation of Thailand

Mr. Varapote Chensavasdijai, Counsellor,

Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations in Geneva

Agenda 2(d): Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance

14th Meeting of States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

2 December 2015, Geneva

Mr. President,

The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention started over 15 years ago with a global ambition to eradicate all landmines and, together with it, human sufferings caused thereby. Although the realising of such a noble goal is mainly the responsibility of each State Party to the Convention, the aspiration towards that goal is universal. Thailand therefore fully shares the view expressed in the Maputo Action Plan that, “the Convention’s shared goals can be advanced through enhanced cooperation.”

Mr. President,

Thailand has committed to implementing our obligations under the Convention and therefore has shared our experiences and good practices with other mine-affected states.

During 2013-2014, the Thailand Mine Action Center, or TMAC, has organised a mine action training course once a year for delegations composed of relevant government agencies from Myanmar. This year, we have invited delegates from Lao PDR to participate in our joint explosive ordnance disposal trainings with the United States Pacific Command, or USPACOM, in which they were trained to remove and destroy landmines under the supervision of both Thai and US instructors. In March next year, the TMAC will also actively participate in the Humanitarian Mine Action Exercise under the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Humanitarian Mine Action.

On victim assistance, apart from organising the Bangkok Symposium on Landmine Victim Assistance this June, we have also conducted trainings on emergency medical service provision for those affected by landmine and other ERW detonations for both military personnel and local NGOs in Thailand and our neighbouring countries.

Mr. President,

The Thai Delegation would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to our donor countries, namely Japan, Norway, and the United States of America, for their continued support and partnerships with the Thai authorities and our non-governmental organisations in transforming mine-contaminated fields into useable land for agriculture and economic development.

In closing, we wish to reaffirm our intention to continue this tradition of cooperation and assistance in mine action. We believe that our contributions will help move us closer to the zero-victim and mine-free world.

Thank you.

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