On 14 October 2026, H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, was invited to attend the opening ceremony of Asia ADR Week 2026 at the Auditorium of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Kuala Lumpur. Organized by AIAC for the eighth time from 14 to 16 October 2026 under the theme “KAINOS: Where Vision Transforms Future,” the event brought together more than 100 participants, including YAB Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation; Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform); Mr. M. Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform); Datuk Seri Abu Bakar bin Jais, President of the Court of Appeal; Dato’ Mary Lim Thiam Suan, President of the AIAC Court of Arbitration; Datuk Danesh Chandran, Chief Executive Officer of AIAC; and representatives from the public and private sectors involved in legal affairs.

During the opening ceremony, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) highlighted Malaysia’s policy priorities in supporting the legal sector and developing AIAC into a trusted and globally recognized centre for alternative dispute resolution, thereby strengthening Malaysia’s business competitiveness. Key priorities include institutional independence, impartiality, good governance and high-quality services. Emphasis was also placed on expanding domestic and international cooperation networks, including the establishment of an AIAC branch office in Sarawak to broaden access to dispute resolution services across the Borneo region.

On this occasion, the Ambassador, who was the only ambassador attending the opening ceremony and maintains close cooperation with Malaysian counterparts, held discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister and other senior representatives attending the event to further advance Thailand - Malaysia cooperation, particularly in legal affairs. Discussions included Thailand’s bid to host the headquarters of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution (ACIIDR), as well as cooperation within international organizations.