On 7 October 2026, H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, was invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of the National Conference on Business and Human Rights (NCBHR) 2026, held under the theme “Rights in Action: One Year of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights” The Conference was organised by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia, in collaboration with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), the Malaysian Bar, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), from 7 - 8 October 2026 at the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB) Centre of Excellence, Kuala Lumpur. Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) of Malaysia, presided over the Opening Ceremony, while Mr. Edward Vrkić, UNDP Resident Representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, delivered the welcoming remarks. More than 150 participants attended the Conference, including members of the diplomatic corps in Malaysia, representatives from the public and private sectors, academia, and the media.

On this occasion, the Ambassador met with Minister Azalina; Mr. M. Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) of Malaysia; Ms. Nareelac Pairchaiyapoom, Director of the International Human Rights Division, Rights and Liberties Protection Department, Ministry of Justice of Thailand, who participated as a panelist; and Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong, Member of UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UNWG), who participated as a moderator at the Conference. The Ambassador reaffirmed the readiness of the Royal Thai Embassy to support activities promoting the exchange of knowledge and good practices on business and human rights between Thailand and Malaysia, while underscoring Thailand’s role in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Mr. Edward Vrkić highlighted the importance of cooperation among governments, businesses, civil society, and communities in advancing the business and human rights agenda, with a view to promoting economic growth alongside the sustainable promotion of human rights and environmental protection. Minister Azalina, meanwhile, underscored the importance of translating the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR) 2025 - 2030 into tangible results. She also launched the Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) Guide for Businesses in Malaysia to support businesses in integrating human rights considerations into their operations and business relationships, applying the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to the Malaysian context.

Ms. Nareelak also participated as a panelist in the session entitled “Responsible Business Conduct in ASEAN: Advancing Human Rights Due Diligence for Resilient and Responsible Supply Chains.”