Res Communis

Pacific Rim National Space Law Summit: Thailand / 环太平洋国家空间法会议: 泰国

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

Prof. Nipant Chitasombat, Director of Commercial Uses of Outer Space Project at Graduate School of Law, Sripatum University, Bangkok, Thailand, presented next on the Current Status and Recent Developments in Thailand’s National Space Law and Policy and Its Relevance to Pacific Rim Space Law and Activities.

Prof. Chitasombat gave brief introduction on national space programmes and activities of Thailand. There are three major activities that Thailand engages in: earth observation, satellite communications, and international cooperation. He said that earth observation was crucial to national security and disaster management, and that the Defense Space Technology Centre (DSTC) handles defense uses of earth observation data.

Next, he moved into a discussion of the policies of Thailand in relation to space activities. He stated that Thailand upholds the principle of the peaceful purposes of outer space. He also said that space activities were a crucial part of Thailand’s comprehensive development strategy, and that they were a fundamental part of its modernization goals. He said these activities were especially necessary for economic development. He said that Thailand had both short term and long term goals as part of the its space programme.

Next, Prof. Chitasombat presented on Thailand’s international space policy. He stated that Thailand embraced the peaceful uses of outer space as well as international cooperation. He noted that it was important to cooperate with both developed and developing countries, and therefore Thailand had cooperation projects with a wide variety of states. He also noted that Thailand has a set of guiding principles that it adheres to in its pursuance of international space cooperation. These principles are followed in addition to obligations from the various treaty to which Thailand is a party. He said that Thailand emphasized cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

He said that there is currently no law regulating space activities or launching activities, but the Telecommunications Service Act 2001 and the Patent Act 1979 were important to space activities. He also stated that private contract law is relied upon to conduct Thailand’s space activities, including launches. Based on this, the Thai Government’s official position is that it is not a launching State. He endorsed the enactment of laws in Thailand to govern space activities in the area of inventions, launching, applications, and education.

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Chinese translation by Ryan Grimm, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University:

环太平洋国家空间法会议: 泰国

大会第二天的第四位发言人是泰国曼谷四八达大学法学院商业利用外空项目主任尼潘特•奇塔萨姆拜特(Nipant Chitasombat)教授，其演讲的题目为“泰国空间法的法律现状与最新发展及其与环太平洋空间法律和活动的相关性”。

奇塔萨姆拜特教授首先简短介绍了泰国的空间项目及活动。据其介绍，该国的空间活动可分为三种，即地球观测、卫星通信以及国际合作。其中，地球观测对国家安全和灾害管理是至关重要的。泰国还有国防技术中心(DSTC)负责处理地球观测数据的国防作用。

随后，奇塔萨姆拜特教授谈到有关泰国空间活动的政策，泰国维护和平利用外空的原则。他说空间活动是泰国的综合发展战略与现代化目标的不可缺少的部分，空间活动对经济发展尤其重要。泰国的空间计划既有短期又有长期目标。

接着，奇塔萨姆拜特教授就把话题转到泰国的国际空间政策上去了。他重申泰国是支持和平利用外空以及国际合作的。他表示泰国这种态度对于发达国家与发展中国家都很重要，因此泰国与各国合作各种项目。同时，在参与国际空间合作时，泰国也履行自己所制定的一套指导原则，及各空间条约的缔约国所应履行的义务。泰国尤其强调亚太地区的合作。

据奇塔萨姆拜特教授介绍，泰国目前还没有任何法律规范空间或发射活动、但2001年的《通信服务法》与1979年的《专利法》对空间活起到很重要的作用。泰国的空间活动中主要依赖民事合同法。他建议泰国颁发法律规范有关发明、发射、应用以及教育等空间活动。