On 27 January 2021, WINS and the Thailand Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP), the country’s nuclear regulatory body, inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in an online signing ceremony. As part of its partnership with OAP, WINS is supporting the future establishment and sustainable operation of a Nuclear Security Support Centre (NSSC) at OAP. Funded by Global Affairs Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program, the project supports international commitments to enhance competence, including those set out in INFCIRC 901.
Participants at the event included:
- Sarah Taylor, Ambassador of Canada to Thailand, GAC
- Lynn Hartery, Canadian Mission in Vienna, GAC
- Permsuk Sutchaphiwat, Secretary General, OAP
- Suchin Udomsomporn, Deputy Secretary General, OAP
- Pennapa Kanchana, Deputy Secretary General, OAP
- Lars van Dassen, Executive Director, WINS
- Raquel Delgado, Programme Manager, WINS
Other participants at the signing ceremony included Varaporn Watcharasurakul, Expert on Nuclear Security, OAP; Ampika Apichaibukol, Director of Strategy and Planning Division, OAP; Darunee Peekhunthod, Director of Regulatory Technical Support Division, OAP; Panupong Pingish, Senior Nuclear Engineer, OAP; Rutjapan Kateklum, Senior Nuclear Engineer, OAP; Thitidej Tularak, Senior Nuclear Engineer, OAP; Benya Rajabhandaraks, Senior International Relations Officer, OAP; Thanchanok Poonchai, International Relations Officer, OAP and Chanesuan Termwong, Experienced Scientific Officer, OAP.
A key aspect of this project is to support the development of Thailand’s national nuclear security training strategy, as well as to provide professional development activities to Thai nuclear stakeholders. Furthermore, WINS is also collaborating with OAP to prepare for the external certification of its learning service under ISO 29993.
“We’re excited to be part of such a momentous occasion in helping to shape Thailand’s professional development capabilities for radioactive source security. It has been a pleasure to collaborate closely with our colleagues at OAP to help reach our objectives,” WINS Executive Director Lars van Dassen stated.
The MOU between WINS and OAP follows a bilateral agreement signed between Canada and Thailand in June 2020 and will be in place until the end of the project.
