On 14 May 2025, Mr. Benjamin Sukanjanajtee, Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, welcomed Mr. Juan Pedro Schaerer, Head of the Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), on the occasion of the Director-General’s assumption of office.

Mr. Schaerer also took the opportunity to introduce Ms. Clementine Rendle, the newly appointed Regional Legal Advisor at the ICRC Regional Delegation in Bangkok. Both sides exchanged views on the ICRC’s operations in Southeast Asia, as well as efforts to promote compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The Director-General provided updates on the upcoming 11th Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Lecture on IHL, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will co-organise with the Thai Red Cross Society on 18 August 2025 at the Ministry, with Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the ICRC, delivering the keynote address.

The two sides also discussed the role of the Thai National Committee on International Humanitarian Law, which was officially approved by the Cabinet in October 2024. Thailand expects the Committee to serve as a key mechanism in supporting national legal and policy development on IHL in line with the country’s international obligations. They also had a discussion on cooperation under the Global Initiative to Galvanise Political Commitment to IHL, a multilateral effort launched by the ICRC together with several permanent missions in Geneva. The initiative aims to strengthen respect for IHL through inclusive, non-political dialogue among States, the exchange of good practices, and the development of collective policy recommendations.