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UN Women 2021 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards:
Meet the Regional Judges
Kulthirath Pakawachkrilers
President. Thai e-Commerce Association (THECA)
Kulthirath made history as the first elected female president of the Thai e-Commerce Association (THECA), an organization that has been instrumental in shaping Thailand's e-commerce landscape for over 19 years. Her election marks a significant milestone in advancing women's leadership within the industry.
She is also the co-founder and CEO of Thailand e-Business Center (TeC), a leading digital consulting, market expansion, and startup incubator firm in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region. Under her visionary leadership, TeC has established itself as a trusted authority in guiding businesses through market entry, expansion, and growth, with a particular emphasis on China, ASEAN, and Thailand.
Marisa Panyachiva
Partnership and Development Finance Officer, Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator.
Marisa Panyachiva joined the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand in January 2021 as a Partnership and Development Finance Officer. She supports the Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team by providing substantive support for strategic planning and coordination of partnerships. She also facilitates dialogues with partners, including with Government, the private sector, civil society and other relevant stakeholders, to improve development assistance policies and practice. Marisa began her UN career in 2006 with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and has 15 years of UN experience in supporting programme management at the regional level. A lawyer by background, Marisa was working in the private sector as a lawyer with Baker & McKenzie’s Bangkok Office prior to joining the UN.
Pasiwat Sutthirak
Program Associate, East and Southeast Asia, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)
Pasiwat's previous and current roles critically and strategically involve in leading and managing the projects. He has a track record of working in the area of social entrepreneurship leading to tangible outcomes for Thailand’s social enterprise ecosystem. At ANDE, Pasiwat oversees different initiatives under key thematic areas including gender, climate and environmental action, and entrepreneurial ecosystem development. In addition, Pasiwat is currently a member of ANDE’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion subcommittee.
Dr. Sikarn Issarachaiyos
Associate Dean for Strategy and Finance Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University
Associate professor Dr. Sikarn Issarachaiyos earned her Ph.D. in Public Administration majoring in public finance and urban economic development from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA. She currently works as a university professor and Associate Dean for Strategy and Finance at the Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University. Dr. Sikarn works as the consultant for the WE RISE Together SD-GRP training program in 2023 and 2024. Organized by UN Women and the National Innovation Agency (NIA), this training program aims to raise SD-GRP awareness, enhance knowledge and skills of targeted corporations, particularly WOBs and GREs, as well as expand networks of the corporations to better access market.
Suda Sulong
Deputy Director-General
Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development
Ministry of Social Development and Human Security
Suda Sulong is the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Women's Affairs and Family Development (DWF), under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. She shares her vision with DWF on promoting gender equality: “Enhancing women's and families' security, moving toward a more equal society".
Hers and the department's mission includes developing women's potential, promoting gender equality, and fostering equality between genders, strengthening the family institution, preventing and addressing domestic violence, and ensuring the welfare of family members, monitoring, compensating, and remedying cases of unfair gender discrimination, and protecting and developing the occupations of individuals affected by prostitution.
The goals aim to achieve inclusive development and ensure that no one is left behind, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The DWF acts as the central coordinating agency for formulating policies, developing measures, mechanisms, and guidelines for promoting gender equality, empowering women, and protecting women's rights. In addition to her roles, she also coordinates relevant agencies from both the public and private sectors to implement activities for promoting gender equality and empowering women, following international guidelines and frameworks.
Wittawat Lamsam
Director of International Cooperation Department
Office of SMEs Promotion, Thailand
Wittawat Lamsam is the Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Office of SMEs Promotion, Thailand. He has 20 years of experience in SME promotion. Most of his work is on creating and maintaining cooperation between Thailand and foreign dialogue partners to promote Thai SMEs. For 3 years, he worked with the Project Administration and Coordination Department to implement various schemes for the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board as well as One Tambon One Product (OTOP). During 2008 – 2012, he served as the supporting team for the Minister of Industry, Minister of Finance, Minister of Interior and Minister of Energy, respectively.
2020 Judges
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