Division of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Forensic Studies Hosts Thai Justice Officials, Nov. 9

October 26, 2009
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739

Three key officials from the Ministry of Justice of Thailand will discuss their country's criminal justice system and law enforcement in a special lecture hosted by the University of Baltimore's Division of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Forensic Studies in the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts. The discussion, free and open to the public, will take place on Monday, Nov. 9, beginning at 12:30 p.m. in Room 308 in the Liberal Arts and Policy Building, 10 W. Preston St.

Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, Vitaya Suriyawong and Nuntarath Tepdulchai will discuss Thailand's criminal justice system and corresponding activities with the United Nations. They also will provide details of the Enhancing Lives of Female Inmates enrichment program in their country as well as the new U.N. Minimum Standards on the Treatment of Female Prisoners.

Vongthep began his academic career at Essex Community College and spent several years as the first secretary at the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the U.N. office in Vienna, Austria. Prior to that, he served at the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait. He has negotiated many criminal justice-related resolutions on the floor of the United Nations and specializes mainly in multilateral diplomacy. Currently, he is assigned to work with Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand on the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Female Prisoners, a document that will be agreed upon at the U.N. Crime Congress in Brazil next April. This document's contents eventually will influence American state and local criminal justice agencies.

Vitaya serves as deputy director-general of the Office of Justice Affairs in the Ministry of Justice of Thailand. After 21 years of service in the Thai Department of Corrections, Vitaya was transferred to the Office of Justice Affairs in 2003. He served as the director of the Justice Official Training Institute before becoming deputy director-general. Among Vitaya's achievements is his service as officer in charge for the preparation of the 11th U.N.s Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, hosted by the Thai government in April 2005. Currently, Vitaya is a director of the aforementioned enrichment program, which is tasked with establishing new rules for the treatment of women prisoners and noncustodial measures for women offenders.

Nuntarath joined the Thai Department of Corrections in 1997 as a training officer attached to Correctional Staff Training Institute. In that capacity, she was responsible for developing modules of training that correspond to the needs of correctional officers. She was among the core members of the National Organizing Committee for the 11th U.N. Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Currently, she is one the key leaders running the Enhancing Lives of Female Inmates enrichment program. Her areas of expertise also include logistical management, public communications and brand management and strategies. 

The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the School of Law, the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts and the Merrick School of Business.