On 9 September 2025, H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, was invited to attend the opening ceremony of the 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) and Its Related Meetings, hosted by the Ministry of Home Affairs of Malaysia on 8 – 12 September 2025 at DoubleTree by Hilton, Melaka. The ceremony featured remarks by Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, a welcoming remark by Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia, and an Opening Address by Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia. Also in attendance were Datuk Seri Utama Ab Rauf bin Yusoh, Chief Minister of Melaka, high-level delegates from ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste, and Dialogue Partners including China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as representatives from government agencies and foreign embassies in Malaysia, totaling more than 500 participants.

 

In his Opening Address, the Prime Minister of Malaysia underscored ASEAN’s uniqueness as a peaceful and stable region, embodied through the principle of ASEAN centrality, regular consultations among ASEAN leaders, and the trust and information-sharing among the region’s security agencies. These elements, he stressed, form the foundation for strengthening regional cooperation in security and law enforcement.

 

The Ambassador was pleased to meet with the Thai delegation participating in the meeting, led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, Assistant Commissioner General, Royal Thai Police, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Worawat Amornwiwat, Deputy Commissioner of Special Branch Bureau. The Ambassador reaffirmed the Embassy’s readiness to support the mission of Thai security agencies, particularly in fostering continued cooperation with Malaysia in addressing transnational crime.