On 4 August 2023, Mrs. Ureerat Chareontoh, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), jointly delivered an opening remarks, via a pre-recorded video, at the opening session of “the Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) for Addiction Professionals” along with Dr. Kevin Mulvey, Executive Director, International Consortium of Universities for Drug Demand Reduction (ICUDDR).

 

The program, under the trilateral cooperation between Thailand - the Czech Republic on development cooperation in developing countries, is jointly organized by TICA in collaboration with Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, the ICUDDR, and the First Faculty of Medicine Charles University from the Czech Republic between 4-9 August, 2023 at Kantary Hills Hotel, Chiangmai province.

The UTC program, of which is participated by professionals from Bhutan, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Czech Republic as well as Thai practitioners, aims to equip addiction practitioners with necessary skills to meet the increasing demand for prevention and treatment services in their home countries.

 

On this occasion, the Director General also stressed that this internationally certified drug-addiction treatment programme, which covers a broad spectrum of topics, would provide an ample opportunity for the participants to learn first hand experiences and techniques from Thai and Czech experts during the training. Furthermore, the collaboration on this capacity building program today would further expand and deepen bilateral friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of Thai-Czech diplomatic relations.