On 2 September 2026, Michaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand, and representatives of the UN Country Team in Thailand joined H.E. Prof. Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and Suphachai Chearavanont, President of the Global Compact Network Thailand (GCNT), at GCNT Expo 2026. The Expo provided a platform for the government, the private sector, the UN, young people and other partners to strengthen collaboration and explore ways to advance Thailand's sustainable development amid economic, technological, environmental and social change.    

Cha-am and Bangkok (Thailand), 31 August 2026 – The squad in full tactical gear moves low along the wall, weapons raised. “Assault team, proceed with caution. Commence operation,” the commanding officer tells the men in Thai.“Copy that. Out,” they reply. “Go, go, go!”The men crouch, signal to each other with their hands, and storm in.“Suspects in the building. Captured.”From a distance, it looks like a video game come to life. But these men are real officers participating in a simulation exercise organized by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) this past May. The three-day training, staged at the Royal Thai Army’s Naresuan Training Center, near Cha Am on the Gulf of Thailand, was part of a broader project bringing together police, prosecutors, customs officers, forensic experts and military officials from across the country’s security establishment.After arresting the role-play suspects inside the house, the officers learned the crucial next step: how to collect forensics evidence at the crime scene. “When a suspect is arrested, the weapons found with them can be turned into evidence, which means they need to be photographed, marked, logged and traced,” said Niki Esse de Lang, UNODC’s Regional Research and Programme Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism.  “Mapping the network that put the guns there in the first place is the aim behind our work with Thai authorities.”As a longstanding transit hub linking South Asia, South-East Asia and the Middle East, Thailand has become a key battleground in the fight against illicit firearms. With support from UNODC, authorities have spent the past year turning crime scenes into intelligence opportunities, rather than case files that close once a weapon is seized.Sold like phonesGuns rarely start out illegal. In many cases, they are stolen from legitimate owners, diverted from licensed dealers, assembled from parts bought online, or smuggled across land borders where enforcement is thin. By the time a weapon turns up at a crime scene in Bangkok or a jungle camp somewhere in the region, it may have passed through two or three countries and half a dozen hands.Law enforcement usually treats a recovered firearm largely as evidence of a single crime: a robbery, an armed assault, a homicide, i.e. the case in front of them. This training was built around a different idea: that a gun, itself, has a history that can be traced and used to uncover the wider organized criminal or terrorist network.A firearm owner is supposed to register a weapon with the authorities. The problem is that, once this weapon is resold, it becomes harder to track. And there are some weapons that cannot be registered as they are illicit by their very nature, such as 3D-printed weapons, converted blank guns, or Pradit guns, a type of improvised firearm homemade in Thailand.“After seizing the weapon, what happens next? What is the evidential value of the firearm in the criminal process? It is important that we know how to enforce the law, but also that we understand firearms law, the mechanics of how a legal weapon slips into illegal hands,” said Pol. Col. Chitphol Kanchanakit, who works directly on firearms enforcement in Thailand, and who heavily participated in the project.In Thailand, a license for firearms ownership lasts a lifetime, with no requirement to reregister or check back in with authorities. Yet in reality, firearms change owners frequently. “You can sell a weapon like any other asset... some people sell it like phones,” he added.Thai law allows firearms ownership for property protection and, in some border areas, against insurgent threats, with minimum age and health requirements already in place.Local gun, global problemArms can be funneled to non-state armed groups, criminal gangs, or broken down and sold off in pieces. Once a weapon is diverted, it could end up anywhere.Some of this is already visible just across Thailand’s western and northern borders. UNODC’s De Lang pointed to Myanmar, where armed groups have begun manufacturing their own weapons rather than relying solely on smuggled ones.“Non-state armed groups in Myanmar are using 3D printing,” De Lang said. It's just a matter of time, he adds, before that know-how spreads further into the region. He also flagged a recent development that regulators globally are still catching up on: toy and blank-firing guns modified to fire live rounds, like in the attack that happened in the Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok back in October 2023.Most countries have separate policy tracks for counterterrorism and for arms control, he added, and “there’s no one entity that can cover all that alone. That’s why it’s necessary to work together.”Hernán Longo, Programme Management Officer with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), agreed that many countries maintain separate policy tracks for counter-terrorism and arms control, highlighting the importance of a dedicated policy framework that specifically addresses the prevention of and response to the terrorist use of weapons.Referring to the international nature of the threat, Longo said: “When illicit firearms trafficking is left unaddressed, its impacts can extend far beyond national borders. A diversion, theft or illicit transfer in one country can contribute to violence and insecurity elsewhere months or even years later.”He described the challenge as constantly evolving, with criminal networks often adapting rapidly to technological developments and enforcement measures. "This requires governments to continuously assess emerging risks and adapt their responses," he said. "As more illicit activity moves online, international cooperation becomes even more important. Law enforcement agencies need trusted channels and established mechanisms for information sharing so they can act quickly and effectively when required."Longo added that part of the role of international cooperation frameworks is to help ensure that collaboration does not depend solely on personal relationships. “Effective cooperation needs to be supported by institutions, procedures and long-term partnerships,” he said. “You cannot rely solely on the goodwill of individuals; structural mechanisms are needed to enable and sustain cooperation.”Bringing prosecutors into the roomAnother part of the training looked beyond the moment of seizure, focusing on how a case, and the intelligence hidden within it, must survive the demands of the courtroom and remain actionable when it reaches the desk of a foreign counterpart.Puvadet Prommakrit, a provincial public prosecutor of the Office of the Attorney General, which serves as Thailand’s focal point for the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), noted that the value of the project was less about firearms specifically than about getting agencies that rarely speak to each other into the same room. “This initiative brings together all the agencies involved... learning different perspectives from different professionals.” His office's role is less visible than those involved in raids, but no less critical: facilitating mutual legal assistance, the legal and diplomatic framework that enables Thai investigators to obtain evidence from, and share evidence with, counterparts abroad. Understanding how the Firearms Protocol to UNTOC is implemented on the ground, he said, helps prosecutors “know the trends and what agencies are doing” and do their own work more effectively.Arms trafficking, along with drug trafficking and cyber fraud, is a Thai law enforcement priority, Prommakrit said, and Thailand’s position at the crossroads of the region means it sees the consequences firsthand of cases, he said, where weapons “end up in the wrong hands.”From local crime scenes to national, regional and global policiesBy the training’s final day in Thailand last month, the conversation had shifted from crime scenes to policy. Warisa Intaratana, who is working on drafting Thailand’s National Security Policy, emphasized the value of understanding how various forms of transnational crime feed into one another.“We cannot talk about weapons trafficking without addressing other organized violence and the shared infrastructure of the illicit economy,” she said, noting that the initiative reinforces key priorities she is currently incorporating into the Thai policy process: confronting the rapid adoption of technology that accelerates the convergence of criminal activities across jurisdictions and physical-digital domains—from tracing logistics and financial flows to combating cybercrime across online marketplaces and the dark web. The UNODC-organized events were financially and substantively supported by the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation, known as UNSCAR, which is overseen by the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).  Tak Mashiko, UNSCAR Manager at UNODA, underscored the importance of ensuring that local efforts, good practices, and data collected in Thailand inform regional and global processes.“It is commendable that Thailand has been consistently submitting its national reports to the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons since 2012, including its 2026 report. In early June, the lessons and outcomes from this project were introduced into global discussions in New York, where Member States gathered for the Ninth Biennial Meeting of States (BMS9) on the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and for a side event on UNSCAR’s broader role in supporting that agenda.Originally published by UNODC

It looks like a regular coffee shop, albeit set up in an old red bus. Stairs lead up to a serving hatch, with a menu of drink options. A selection of jaunty coffee-related messages like “My one and only love: Americano” and “Miss you a latte,” adorn the side of the bus.But Cook & Coff, which is located in Khao Khuen Lan, a town in eastern Thailand, is no ordinary coffee shop.Open to the public, it is managed by Thailand’s Department of Corrections and run on a day-to-day basis by prisoners.Tup* is 26 years old and is the man preparing today’s brew. He spent six months in a maximum-security prison in Khlong Phai, in northeastern Thailand, before being transferred to Khao Khuean Lan, a more open facility, where he learnt to be a coffee barista.Every day after his shift serving customers finishes at 3pm, he returns to prison. Gradually he is relearning how to once again become accustomed to the outside world.In 20 days, Tup is due to be released. He looks forward to seeing his mother. If she can help him, he’ll invest in a coffee machine and start his own business.ReintegrationThe stigma that incarcerated people carry in Thailand often makes reintegration back into society challenging.To relieve this burden, Thailand is attempting to reduce reoffending through rehabilitation rather than punishment.The Kyoto Model Strategies, adopted by UN Member States in December 2025, provide a comprehensive framework for the process. They emphasise that breaking the cycle of crime requires addressing root causes, poverty, lack of education and social exclusion, and not just imprisoning offenders.Social shortcomings“The real problem lies in society,” said Thitiphan Manuchantrarut, director of the Khao Prik Agricultural and Industrial Correctional Institution in Sikhio, northeastern Thailand.“Lack of money leads offenders to drug trafficking. If they learned the skills we teach them here in prison at an early age, in the real world, they would probably not have turned to drug trafficking in the first place. They would probably not have ended up in prison.”Reoffending is also a challenge. “Most prisoners go back to their context,” Manuchantrarut added. “If, instead of going back home, they are given the opportunity to work elsewhere, to change their initial circumstances, they will be less likely to recommit the offence.”UN assistSkills training in prison offers prisoners who are willing to reform a second chance. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) works with Thai authorities to support programmes which ensure that changes extend beyond policy papers.UNODC also works with the Thai authorities to improve prison management and conditions.In the facility where Tup spent his early twenties, prisoners – the majority of whom were poor – used to have to pay for drinking water.UNODC installed a water purification system that turns water from the nearby lake into potable water. Beyond installing water systems, UNODC’s role in Thailand includes connecting prison directors with community resources and helping develop the frameworks that make reintegration possible.The Nelson Mandela RulesThe improvements are guided by the Nelson Mandela Rules, the universally acknowledged blueprint for prison management in the 21st century.Named after the former South African President Mandela, the global icon of resistance to Apartheid – who spent much of his life incarcerated and who the UN remembers annually on 18 July – the Rules outline minimum prison conditions, provide guidance and set clear benchmarks for prison staff on how to uphold safety, security and human dignity.They focus on taking better care of prisoners by establishing mandatory training for prison officers and promotions based on their performance.“You will never waste a penny if you invest in the Nelson Mandela rules,” said Sukanya Thainoy, a former training academy director.“It’s basic support for officers. With well-trained officers, treatment of prisoners improves, then prisoners look up to them, respect their professionalism. This is what creates a safe space for prisoner and officer.” Thailand’s prison system accommodates 310,000 people. Across the country’s 143 correctional facilities, prison managers are implementing a mindset change, guided by international frameworks like the Nelson Mandela Rules and the newly adopted Kyoto Model Strategies on Reducing Reoffending.“If prison officers are smiling, prisoners will be smiling, then society will smile,” said Permpol Thiendusit president of the Songkhla Central Prison in Southern Thailand. “Prisoners know. They can feel if their rights are being respected or not.”*The name has been changed to protect the interviewees’ identityOriginally published by UNODC

JUBA – A repaired road means more than an easier journey. It means humanitarian aid reaches vulnerable people in need, farmers get produce to market, families can access essential services, and communities can connect for peacebuilding.

For Thai peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), engineering is an important part of protecting civilians and creating conditions for peace.

A total of 257 members of the Thai Horizontal Military Engineering Company, including 27 women peacekeepers, were awarded the prestigious United Nations Medal in recognition of their service to peace and stability in South Sudan.

“The United Nations Medal is more than a formal recognition. It honors your service, your sacrifice, and your dedication in a demanding operational environment. It also represents your contribution to the United Nations and to our collective efforts to advance peace and stability,” stated Major General Junhui Wu, UNMISS Force Commander.

Since their deployment, the Thai contingent has helped expand Juba International Airport, maintain and rehabilitate 241 kilometres of main supply roads, and deliver numerous engineering projects across the country.

The impact extends beyond infrastructure. By keeping key routes open, peacekeepers help communities, humanitarian workers, and those travelling for trade and peacebuilding move more safely, while helping restore essential services disrupted by conflict.

“We have also applied our engineering capabilities to support local communities, including renovating court facilities and the improvement of sanitation infrastructure. We have also shared agricultural knowledge and practice inspired by Thailand’s sufficiency economy philosophy, with the aim of promoting food security and creating cultivatable land to improve the quality of life for the people of the Republic of South Sudan,” explained Lieutenant Colonel Harun Taienkrob, Thai HMEC Commander.

Their contribution goes beyond engineering. The Thai peacekeepers have helped build trust and strengthen relationships with the people they serve.

“You have engaged with local communities, supported schools and sanitation facilities, shared knowledge, and helped strengthen the relationship between United Nations peacekeepers and the people of South Sudan,” said Brigadier General Shishir Bhardwaj, UNMISS Sector South Commander.

The commander also highlighted the long hours, difficult conditions and personal sacrifices behind the contingent’s service under the UN flag.

As the Thai peacekeepers prepare to return home, they leave behind more than infrastructure: safer access, stronger community resilience, and a meaningful contribution to lasting peace in South Sudan.Written by Martin MariakaOriginally published by UNMISS