It was an honor and pleasure to have a renowned guest speaker coming in from a half around the world trip especially for this high level event of HDFF to explain the situation related to smuggling issues:
Mr. Karsten von Hoesslin, Senior Analyst of RiskIntelligence
The internationally recognized guest speaker Mr. Karsten von Hoesslin is a Senior Analyst with the Danish-based company RiskIntelligence as well as a Visiting Fellow with the Centre for International Law, University of Singapore. He holds a Masters in Strategic Studies and is currently completing his PhD in International Relations in Australia. Karsten has also served temporary postings at the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), on the Executive Board for the Canadian Consortium on Asia Pacific Security and chaired its Maritime Security Task Group. Currently Karsten is an active member in the Maritime Security Working Group and the Transnational Crime Group with the Council for Security Cooperation in Asia Pacific (CSCAP) and its Canadian Delegation.
Interested guests of various INGO, UN organizations, Embassies and Royal Thai Armed Forces listened to the presentation of Karsten von Hoesslin about the smuggling issues and their respective implications.
HDFF Chairman General (ret) Bunchon Chawansin and participants
are following the presentation
Karsten von Hoesslin shared insights into both the organizational structures and tactics of maritime organized crime syndicates as well as problems regarding counter-strategies for law enforcement agencies. Frequent links can be found between piracy – and organized crime groups, specialized in trafficking either one specific item or multiple commodities (humans, arms, drugs, cigarettes, sand, fuel, etc.).
In contrast, there do not seem to be any linkages between Terrorist organizations and organized crime or piracy groups as the international attention would be counterproductive for their business, which is purely making profits and is not ideology based. Therefore nothing seems to indicate funding for Muslim separatist groups in Southern Thailand by organized crime syndicates.
The event was held under the Chatham House Rules which means that information gained during this event may be used. However, the person sharing the information must not be named.
After the presentation a very good and in depth discussion with high quality inputs from various sources widened the perspective including topic related to Southern Thailand and the imminent ASEAN community (2015).
HDFF would like to take the opportunity to thank the amazing guest speaker as well as the participants for their energetic involvement making the 5th HDFF Chairman’s Circle an interesting and thriving event.
The next HDFF Chairman’s Circle will commence on 23 June 2011 dealing with “Organized Crime and Piracy in Southeast Asia and Repercussions for Thailand” with Dr. Peter Lehr from CSTPV St. Andrews University Scotland. More information will be posted soon on the website or can be obtained via event@hdff.org
For registrations please contact herrmann@hdff.org or collein@hdff.org
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