Vietnam highly values Thailand ’s efforts to implement human rights, said a Vietnamese diplomat.

Ambassador Vu Dung, Head of the Vietnamese delegation to the UN, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other international organisations in Geneva , made the assessment at the 12 th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on October 5.

Thanks to a human rights-based approach in enforcing the law and implementing development policies, Thailand has recorded great achievements in socio-economic development as well as in the protection and promotion of human rights and basic freedom rights, especially in poverty reduction, education, health and gender equality, he said.

Vietnam also applauded Thailand ’s commitments to international human rights organisations and its active cooperation with the UN’s human rights mechanisms, Dung noted.

The ambassador emphasised recent developments in Thailand after the general elections, expressing belief that a new era of stability and development will soon be ushered in the country.

He suggested Thailand strengthen polices and measures to protect vulnerable groups such as women, children, the poor, ethnic minority people and migrants while further boosting the implementation of laws, policies and mechanisms relating to human rights as set in the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2009-2013.

Thailand is one of the 19 countries to have their the UPRs reviewed at this session, which is taking place in Geneva from October 3-14./.