Vilawan Mangklatanakul, director-general of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, has been elected as a member of the International Law Commission (ILC) for a five-year term starting in January 2023, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Vilawan: Five-year term starts in 2023
Ms Vilawan is Thailand's first woman candidate to vie for the post and Asean's first female international law specialist to be elected, said Tanee Sangrat, spokesman for the ministry.
She is also the only female candidate from the Asia-Pacific region to run for an ILC seat, he added.
A total of 34 candidates took part in the election for ILC membership and Ms Vilawan received 162 out of 193 votes at the UN General Assembly, Mr Tanee said.
He said the votes for her reflect Thailand's diplomatic ties with other UN member countries, its campaign to tackle challenging issues and trust and confidence in Thailand's expertise in international law.
Mr Tanee said Ms Vilawan will work with other ILC members to study legal issues and develop international laws to promote common interests in the global community.
"The outcome underlines Thailand's role in supporting multilateral diplomacy based on rule of law and international cooperation and reflects recognition of Thailand's status and role in the community," he said.
"This will also serve as a good example for the next generations to step into international forums."
Throughout her 25-year diplomatic career, Ms Vilawan has played key roles in various international negotiations and meetings, according to the ministry.
She has advocated for the perspectives of developing countries on investor-state dispute settlement reform, it said.
Ms Vilawan is interested in contributing to solving global issues by addressing international community concerns, such as rising sea levels and coronavirus laws, it said.
She is also keen to work on the ILC's long-term agendas, including fair and equitable treatment in the provisions of international investment law and the settlement of international disputes, the ministry said.
It said the ILC was established in 1947 to fulfil a UN General Assembly mandate under Article 13 of the UN Charter to initiate studies and make recommendations for the progressive development of international law and its codification.
The ILC currently has 34 members from five different regions, the ministry said, adding Thailand is part of the Asia-Pacific region, which has eight ILC membership seats for the 2023-2027 term.
Until now, there have been three prominent Thai lawyers elected to serve at the ILC, including Thanat Khoman, the ministry said.