Rights Beautiful Collection of Professor Saneh Chamarik diversity and discrepancies that we are living with. For all this bold and continuing endeavour, and on behalf of the NHRC of Thailand, I should like to express our heart-felt gratitude and deep appreciation. Thanks also to all the initiatives taken in earnest response to the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, as kindly described in Prof. Vitit Muntarbhorn’s concept paper on Roadmap for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, prepared particularly for this 3rd Workshop. With his clear mind, I must say, the paper greatly helps clarify to a new comer like myself as to the relevant issues involved in international dealing. It is indeed encouraging to learn that the whole idea draws approval right from the beginning at least on principle from all the parties concerned: governmental, academic, and civil society. If I am not mistaken, it is also embraced in the current Thai foreign policy with emphasis on elevating ASEAN onto “a higher plane of regionalism”, along with “citizen-centred policy” and “mutual trust and understanding, mutual benefits, cooperation and partnership not just between the relevant governments but, equally important, between respective peoples of those countries”, to quote Foreign Minister Dr.Surakiart Sathirathai’s own words.2 I do not know if this is in exact consonance with the former ASEAN Foreign Ministers did resolve to do in 1993, following the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. Hopefully, all this could be construed in a positive and creative manner towards the ultimate purpose of human rights protection and promotion. It is our job to pursue the matter further. Towards people-to-people mutual learning In the same vein and in spite of initial achievements, it is also important to bear in mind that the task of establishing a human rights regional mechanism is no simple matter. Saying this is not to minimize 2 Foreign Minister Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai’s speech at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand (FCCT), The Nation, 20 May, 2003. OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THAILAND 3