Yesterday at the TIJ office, executive director Kittipong Kittayarak told a press conference that Thailand was ready to become a leader in justice policy in the region and take on crime and punishment issues in the region as people and goods move more freely in the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

The TIJ was set up in 2011 under the Abhisit Vejjajiva government. Its main duty is providing recommendations and policy advice to boost the justice system.

The Thai body was officially recognised by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) last week – on May 24, and Kittipong said that would boost the country internationally and help promote a better justice system globally.

“As a member of the Programme Network Institutes, we have duties including exchanges of information, research, training, technical assistance and public education to UN Member states,” he said.

“We are the first member in the South East Asian region, so we have potential to become the leading justice organisation in the region.

“We also have a speciality in the management of female prisoners and violence against children.”

He said the organisation was ready to help with justice problems that emerge from the free movement of labour and goods within the AEC, through close cooperation with Asean states and encouraging an up-to-date justice policy, based on academic research.

Under the TIJ’s next phase of development, the priority areas of work will be utilising the accumulated body of knowledge and expanding to new areas, taking into account the new global agenda on crime prevention, criminal justice and sustainable development.

The ultimate goal of the organisation is to push forward the implementation of international standards and norms to support the development of fair, effective and accountable criminal justice institutions.

Kittipong said the institute works on the international policy-making level and would not interfere with the work of justice agencies in Thailand. But it wants to strengthen the justice system by providing academic suggestions and training personnel.

“In November we have plans to organise the first Asean Conference on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

“This will be a great opportunity for all member countries to exchange best practices and create cooperation to counter threats from transnational organised crime,” he said.