Thailand hosts important Asean judicial meetings

Thailand hosted important judicial meetings of Southeast Asian nations last week, during which senior Thai judges were elected to important positions within Asean judicial organisations.

Suriyan Hongwilai, spokesman for the Courts of Justice, said Thailand hosted the 15th Asean Law Association General Assembly at the InterContinental Hotel Bangkok from July 21-23.

Thai Supreme Court president Adisak Tantiwong presided over the opening of the assembly on July 21. The event brought together judges and legal representatives and academics from 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Cambodian representatives attended online. Representatives from East Timor were present as observers.

The agenda of the assembly included cooperation on arbitration, trade promotion, female workers’ rights, zero carbon dioxide emission and the application of generative artificial intelligence in justice systems, Mr Suriyan said.

There were also sideline meetings including sessions on intellectual property and bankruptcy laws and the Asean Moot –  a regional simulated court competition organised by the Asean Law Association for law students during the ALA General Assembly. This year the winner was a team from Indonesia.

On the same occasion, the 13th Council of Asean Chief Justices on July 22 unanimously elected Thai Supreme Court president Adisak to the CACJ chair. It also signed the Bangkok Declaration, intended to enhance legal affairs cooperation.

On July 23, the Asean Law Association elected Pongdej Wanichkittikul, chief judge of the Thai Supreme Court, its new chairman. He is the third Thai chair of the association. The association also elected a Thai secretary-general – Sorawit Limparangsri, deputy chief justice of the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court.