Thailand | Chief Ombudsman signed Memorandum of Intent on establishment of South East Asian Ombudsman Forum (SEAOF)

On Wednesdays, October 28th 2020 at the Office of the Ombudsman, Thailand, Chief Ombudsman, General Viddhavat Rajatanun signed the Memorandum of Intent on the Establishment of the South East Asian Ombudsman Forum (SEAOF). On the auspicious signing ceremony, Ombudsman, Mr. Somsak Suwansujarit, accompanied by the Executives of Office of the Ombudsman, Thailand was the witnesses of the significant milestone.

Since the unprecedented outbreak of the Covid-19 has been continually spreading across the globe, the parties of SEAOF; Ombudsman Republik Indonesia (ORI), the Office of the Ombudsman of the Republic of the Philippines (OMB); and Ombudsman Thailand; have all together consented to sign and circulate the Memorandum of Intent by a postal means.

The establishment of the South East Asian Ombudsman Forum (SEAOF) is a prominent milestone for string multilateral cooperation among regional Ombudsman organization in South East Asia. Principally, SEAOF would aim to enhance the capacity of member institutions in exercising their legal mandate, to provide a unified voice in the matters concerning regional public interest and to jointly develop an integrated complaint-handling mechanism with the jurisdiction of member institutions. 

At present, the members of SEAOF have composed of three Ombudsman originations, namely Ombudsman Republik Indonesia (ORI), the Office of the Ombudsman of the Republic of the Philippines (OMB); and Ombudsman Thailand. In order to enhance the more multilateral cooperation among regional Ombudsman organization, SEAOF would welcome the interested Ombudsman organizations in South East Asia to be a member of the platform.

Apart from enhancing the closer multilateral cooperation among Ombudsman organizations in South East Asia, SEAOF would ultimately seek to expand the collaboration to the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) as well as other active regional Ombudsman Organizations. 

Source: Office of the Ombudsman, Thailand