Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand LL.M. ’02, J.S.D.’05

On the afternoon of Thursday, May 10, the Cornell community is invited to attend a lecture, “Practical Approaches to Law and Diplomacy – A Brief Tour from Cornell to Thailand to the United Nations,” by Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand LL.M. ’02, J.S.D.’05. The princess returns to her alma mater accompanied by a delegation from the Thai Bar and the US Royal Thai Embassy, including fellow Cornell Law alum Kittipong Kittayarak, LL.M.’83, Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Justice.

Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the eldest daughter of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, currently serves as Ambassador and Alternative Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). In December 2011, following a distinguished career at the Office of Attorney-General, Her Royal Highness was elected Chairperson of the CCPCJ. As a seasoned prosecutor-cum-diplomat, she brings a wealth of practitioner’s experience to the policy-making process of the Commission, particularly in strengthening standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, as well as in promoting integrated responses to transnational organized crime in all of its manifestations.

Additionally, Her Royal Highness has a keen personal interest in promoting women’s rights, especially in the context of the criminal justice system. She has been a driving force behind the Enhancing Life for Female Inmates or ELFI project to promote Thailand’s proposal for international rules on women prisoners. This resulted in the adoption of the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders or the Bangkok Rules by the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session in 2010. The princess is also a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, to raise awareness on violence against women. In April 2009, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime awarded her with its Medal of Recognition for continued advocacy work on these issues.

Her Royal Highness will give her lecture at 2:30 p.m. in Myron Taylor Hall, Room G85. Afterward the Cornell community is also welcome to attend the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Thai Bar and Cornell Law. The signing ceremony and reception will take place at 3:45 p.m. in the Purcell Courtyard.