ILEA Bangkok Alumni Event Celebrates 26 Years of Law Enforcement Collaboration

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On June 27, 2024, the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) hosted an ILEA Alumni Event in Bangkok, Thailand. The evening was filled with 120 attendees, including former directors of ILEA Bangkok, U.S. representatives, and alumni from various training programs spanning the 26-year history of the organization.

The event brought together a diverse group of Thai alumni from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Royal Thai Police, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, among others. The evening commenced with welcoming remarks from Police Major General Punvipa Rohitopakara, the Executive Director of ILEA Bangkok, warmly welcoming the alumni, ILEA Bangkok former directors and guests to the event.

Following Major General Rohitopakara's opening remarks, Program Director Efren Buenrostro Jr. introduced the keynote speaker, Gwendolyn Cardno, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand. DCM Cardno welcomed guests and expressed her gratitude towards Thailand for being a great partner and an excellent host nation. Over the past 26 years that ILEA Bangkok has been in operation they have trained over 24,000 law enforcement officials from Asia and have recently welcomed 14 new Pacific Island Countries (PIC).  Also, DCM Cardno emphasized the strong partnership and cooperation between the United States and Thailand in combating transnational crime.

An important part of the evening was the presentation of the Alumni Program, which encouraged attendees to leverage the skills they had enhanced at ILEA Bangkok to combat transnational crime and to submit their success stories to the ILEA Global Network (IGN). This was followed by a success story presentation by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ratchawat Klib-ngoen, an Inspector from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), who shared his experience utilizing the knowledge gained from the ILEA training for Drug Unit Commanders in 2023.

Throughout the evening, guests and alumni enjoyed a light dinner and the opportunity to connect with new friends brought together through their shared experiences at ILEA. The event was a resounding success, fostering connections between participants who might not have otherwise met. ILEA-Bangkok takes pride in strengthening the ties between Thai and U.S. law enforcement agencies and in serving as a hub for its alumni to network with one another.

In conclusion, the ILEA-Bangkok Alumni Event underscored the importance of international cooperation and training in law enforcement. The stories shared and the connections made during the event highlighted the significant impact of ILEA Bangkok over the past 26 years. The academy remains committed to its mission of enhancing the capabilities of law enforcement officials in Asia and fostering strong international partnerships to tackle the challenges of transnational crime.