Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, a former diplomat and criminal justice expert from Thailand, took his oath on October 12 as the new Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

The swearing-in ceremony was held in Jakarta with the participation of ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh.

"I am honoured to be a part of this great institution and I look forward to making my humble contributions to ASEAN community building efforts so that our region will become truly people-oriented and people-centered," Arthakaivalvatee said.

New Deputy Scretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee

In his new capacity, the new deputy secretary general will lead the socio-cultural department in charge of implementing ASEAN’s commitments to improving the daily lives of people.

His department covers divisions dealing with various issues from health, environment, and disaster management to education, labor, women and culture.

Prior to joining the ASEAN Secretariat, Arthakaivalvatee headed the International Affairs Division of Thailand's Ministry of Justice, Office of the Permanent Secretary.

As Director of the Division, he provided leadership in the formulation and implementation of the overall foreign affairs strategy of the Ministry, particularly in the areas of crime, justice, human rights and drug control.

He also played a key role in mainstreaming the rule of law, crime prevention and criminal justice in the post-2015 development negotiation process.

Before his stint at the Ministry of Justice, he was posted to various Thai missions and embassies.

(Source: VNA)