High-ranking immigration officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) are expected to meet in Phuket next week to address transborder crimes in the region, with representatives of China, Japan, South Korea and Australia in attendance.
Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat Sajjaphan, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and the Immigration Bureau (IB) will host the 26th Asean Directors-General of Immigration Departments and Heads of Consular Affairs Divisions of Ministries of Foreign Affairs Meeting (DGICM) from Aug 7–11 on the island province.
The DGICM will discuss the suppression of transnational crimes and threats against the national security of Thailand and its Asean counterparts, Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat said.
Initiated in 1996, the DGICM is regularly attended by the 10 Asean member states and observed by Timor-Leste. Asean members take turns hosting the event.
This year, the IB and the RTP, on behalf of Thailand, will host the meeting so attendees can discuss immigration issues.
"The main focus of the DGICM is to improve cooperation among Asean members and its observers for intelligence," Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat said.
"[Addressing] human trafficking, smuggling, terrorism and cyber crimes is the main target of the RTP," Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat added.
He also said the DGICM will follow the United Nations' low-carbon strategy, in which some of the equipment is made from sustainable and reusable materials.
Delegates from 16 countries and members of the domestic and international media will be invited to attend the conference, its banquets and tours of locations in Phuket, Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat said.