Bangkok, Thailand (26 August 2016) – The Office of Trade Competition Commission, Department of Commerce (OTCC), Ministry of Commerce, organized a seminar titled “Independent Competition Authorities: A Key to Success of Competition Policy and Law Enforcement” as part of the “Feasibility Project on Preparation for Establishing an Independent Authority.” The seminar, inaugurated by Mr. Vuttikrai Leewiraphan, Commerce Advisor, aimed to foster knowledge and understanding among business undertakings of the implementation and enforcement of competition laws by independent competition authorities from different countries. At the same time, the seminar was expected to raise awareness of the importance of having an independent and efficient competition agency, which in turn can further promote free and fair competition in the market. The audience numbered some 500 people from businesses, law firms, trade institutions, trade associations, academia, state-owned enterprises, judicial branch offices, sectoral regulators and interested members of the general public.

In this seminar, the OTCC invited four representatives from different competition authorities to speak to the audience. They were (i) Mr. Nicholas Heys, Deputy General Manager of the Enforcement Coordination, Australia Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC); (ii) Mr. Poh Lip Hang, Senior Assistant Director (Policy and Markets), Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS); (iii) Mr. Sadaaki Suwazono, Director of the International Affairs Division, Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC); and (iv) Mr. Mohammad Reza, Senior Advisor to the Commission on Legal Affairs, Commission for the Supervision of Business (KPPU). The moderator for the seminar was Dr. Deunden Nikomborirak, Research Director on Economic Governance at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).