Chulalongkorn University Hosts Prestigious ASLI’s 21st Annual Conference on the Future of Law in Asia

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Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Law, a founding member of the Asian Law Institute (ASLI), had the distinct pleasure of hosting ASLI’s 21st Annual Conference. Held on the 29th and 30th of May, the event revolved around the evocative theme, “The Future of Law, the Future of Asia.” With a turnout of over 260 scholarly minds representing more than 100 institutions, the conference witnessed the presentation of a staggering 176 papers.

Preceding the conference, Chula’s Faculty of Law convened a meeting of the Board of Governors, featuring delegates from the illustrious “Sixteen” founding institutions, including the National University of Singapore, Peking University Law School, National Taiwan University, The University of Hong Kong, Universitas Indonesia, Seoul National University, University of Tokyo, and National Law University, Delhi.

On the initial morning of the conference, the opening ceremony was honored by the presence of the President of Thailand’s Supreme Court, Chief Justice Anocha Chevitsophon, who delivered an insightful address.

In her welcoming speech, Asst.Prof.Dr. Pareena Srivanit, Dean of the Chulalongkorn Law Faculty, voiced profound pride in hosting the conference once again, the first instance having been in 2005. She remarked, “Chula’s pledge to excellence in legal education and scholarship has been unwavering. The theme of this year’s conference is both provocative and planned, inviting us to contemplate the future against a backdrop of technological advancements, environmental upheavals, social disruptions, geopolitical turmoil, and economic instabilities, with Asia at the epicenter of these global challenges.”

Declaring the conference open, Prof. Ryuji Yamamoto, Dean of the University of Tokyo Law Faculty and chairperson of the ASLI Board of Governors, was followed by a warm welcome from Assoc.Prof. Kelry Loi of NUS, an ASLI co-director. Post-ceremony, the conference began with an array of 29 sessions, meticulously organized across 176 topics over two days, with members of Chula’s Faculty of Law presenting and chairing more than 20 of these sessions.

The keynote was delivered by Professor Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dean of Chulalongkorn Faculty of Law, and current Chairman of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council. He highlighted the significant disruptions—technological, demographic, pandemics, environmental, geopolitical, and conflicts—casting a long shadow over Asia and the field of law. He provocatively posed the question, “Will the future of law shape the future of Asia, or will Asia shape the future of law?” urging participants to deliberate upon this seminal inquiry.

The evening welcomed a gala dinner at Chula’s Sala Phra Kieo, where Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, Acting President of Chulalongkorn University, warmly greeted the amassed scholars. He underscored ASLI’s mission alignment with Chulalongkorn University’s aspirations to be a crucible for intellectual discourse and a catalyst for progression, extending beyond Thailand to the wider region.

The second day introduced participants to Chulalongkorn University’s bold initiative, the “Chula Thai Law Book Series,” aimed at making Thai law accessible in English. A dedicated panel session featured esteemed scholars: Professor Dr. Sakda Thanitcul (author of “Tort Law in Thailand”), Assistant Professor Dr. Piti Eiamchamroonlarp (author of “Contract Law in Thailand”), and Professor Dr. Victor V. Ramraj from the University of Victoria, Canada. Moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Pantip Pruksacholavit, the session delineated future titles poised to cover key areas of Thai law.

At the closing ceremony, Professor Emeritus Vitit Muntarbhorn from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Law and a UN Special Rapporteur, delivered an enthralling presentation titled “Navigating Law’s Trajectory, Choreographing Asia’s Destiny.” He weaved together the vast array of conference papers and discourses, shedding light on emergent challenges such as global warming, digitalization and AI, and intergenerational dynamics. He also touched upon enduring issues in International, Comparative, National, and Traditional Law, threading regional and global insights into the dialogue. His speech buzzed with references pointing towards next year’s ASLI conference, whose central theme will be Asia’s Narratives. A cornerstone of this discourse was the notion of “Asia Plus,” advocating a partnership honoring International Law and local knowledge.

The 2024 ASLI Conference thus concluded on a high note, with the next meeting set to occur at the East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai. The ceremonious handover of the ASLI Board of Governors’ chairmanship to Asst.Prof.Dr.Pareena Srivanit, Dean of Chulalongkorn Law Faculty, gracefully marked the wrap-up of this year’s intellectual festivity.