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Back to Staff InformationBack to Asia Pacific Peace Operations Capacity Building

Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Contingency Planning Seminar
Inter-Continental Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
21-25 June 2004

View the Event CD-ROM

The Royal Thai Armed Forces, the United States Pacific Command, and the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations co-sponsored a multinational seminar dealing with issues in peace support operations. Fifty-two representatives from civilian agencies, militaries and civilian police of twenty-two nations and international organizations participated. The event was managed and executed by the Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, a direct reporting unit to US Pacific Command, and is the 15th in a series of peace support operations conferences, seminars and workshops.

Fifty-one participants who represented military, humanitarian and civilian police perspectives attended from Bangladesh, Brunei, Fiji, Great Britain, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam, and the World Food Programme.

On the first day of the seminar-game, participants were briefed by a group of subject matter experts, who are individuals acknowledged as having considerable personal experience in a subject. Topics covered were Evolving Peace Operations, Humanitarian Operations, Role of the Military, and Interagency Planning. These presentations provided a common knowledge base for all participants. The week continued with small group discussions on topics presented by the organizers.

This seminar focused on detailed contingency planning that allows nations and organizations to develop policy to affect operational concepts that support the deployment of staff in national contingents serving in a multi-national force, coalition or UN mission, or personnel serving on multi-national staffs. The seminar covered decision theory, providing the participants with the adaptive skills that are required to develop capacity to support combined deployments. The use of decision theory allows the rationalization of different staff and organizational planning models. This also helps participants integrate military, civilian, non-governmental organization and international organization models into the planning process. The outcomes will lead to policy and planning development in assisting organizations of participating nations, and supports and encourages other exercise programs.

The Kingdom of Thailand has made a major commitment to UN and MNF peacekeeping missions in recent years. There are currently 58 members of the Royal Thai Armed Forces deployed to two UN missions: 5 military observers in UNAMSIL (Sierra Leone), and 6 military observers and 47 troops in UNMISET (East Timor). Thailand has experienced 5 fatalities from contributions to four previous UN missions. Beginning in September 1999, Thailand dispatched 1,500 soldiers to the International Force in East Timor: The Royal Thai Armed Forces are currently on their 9th rotation. Thailand also provided two of the commanders for the UN operation. A Peacekeeping Training Center was established within the HQ of the Royal Thai Armed Forces in the same year. Thailand has also contributed troops to reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This seminar is the latest in a series of related conferences, seminars, tabletop games and workshops held over the past three years. With the success of countries in the Asia Pacific region in building indigenous peacekeeping capacities and capabilities, the program focuses on networking, sharing information, and improving awareness among the participants, which they then take back to their home countries for assimilation into national defense programs. The Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance develops the seminars and related events in collaboration with co-sponsors and hosting nations.

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Past Asia Pacific Peace Operations Capacity Building Program Events:

Philippines 2000
Thailand 2000
Bangladesh 2000
Malaysia 2001
Nepal 2002
Indonesia 2002
Mongolia 2002
USA 2002
Thailand 2002
Japan 2003
Rep. of Korea 2003
Philippines 2003
India 2004
Thailand 2004
USA 2004
Mongolia 2004
Fiji 2005
Sri Lanka 2005
Manila 2005
Malaysia 2005
Honolulu 2005
Malaysia 2006
Phnom Penh 2007
Honolulu 2007

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