Mr. Martin Kreutner, Dean and Executive Secretary of IACA, was in Bangkok last week for an international anti-corruption workshop and a series of high-level meetings with the heads of some of the organization’s partners in Thailand.
At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Mr. Kreutner gave a keynote address at a well-attended event on Strengthening Implementation Capacities of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with the Permanent Mission of Thailand in Vienna, in particular H.E. Mr. Songsak Saicheua, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the International Organizations in Vienna. It was also supported by the country’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), as well as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Following Mr. Kreutner’s keynote on global anti-corruption prevention strategy in the public and private sectors, the workshop covered issues including money-laundering and human trafficking, government procurement, and asset recovery.
In separate bilateral meetings with IACA, the respective heads of the NACC, PACC, and the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand (OAG) all expressed strong interest in working more closely with the Academy.
In this regard IACA signed a Letter of Intent with the OAG on 31 August that provides a framework for stronger collaboration in the area of anti-corruption. The Academy previously delivered a tailor-made training for the OAG in Laxenburg in 2016.
The NACC President, Pol. Gen. Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, presented Mr. Kreutner with a copy of the NACC’s new book entitled "Partnership with IACA: Thailand as State Party to IACA".
IACA has frequently delivered tailor-made trainings for the NACC, with which it signed a memorandum of understanding in 2010. In addition, former NACC Commissioners currently serve in their individual capacities on the organization’s Board of Governors and International Senior Advisory Board.
While in Bangkok Mr. Kreutner also had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Deputy Permanent-Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss other possible future joint initiatives.
Thailand has been a Party to IACA since 2011 and hosted the second session of the Assembly of Parties in December 2013.