On 4 February 2025, the Department of ASEAN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organised the annual consultative meeting between the Thai Representatives of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and civil society at VIE Hotel Bangkok. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Bolbongse Vangphaen, Director-General of ASEAN, Emeritus Professor Dr. Amara Pongsapich, former Thai Representative to AICHR for two consecutive terms (2019–2021 and 2022–2024), and Assistant Professor Dr. Bhanubhatra Jittiang, the current Thai Representative in AICHR (2025–2027), and attended by more than 80 participants from government agencies, civil society, and academia.

The consultative meeting was aimed to provide an overview of AICHR’s recent work, exchange views on approaches to advancing ASEAN’s human rights agenda in the future, and enhance the role of Thailand’s Representative. The meeting discussed key human rights issues, including the environment, the protection of children, women, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and migrant workers, as well as mainstreaming these key issues into the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and related ASEAN’s work plans.

The consultative meeting is an annual activity organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with AICHR Thailand to actively promote cooperation between the government and civil society in driving the human rights agenda in a manner that effectively responds to the needs of the Thai people and the ASEAN community.