MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN PEACEKEEPING SEMINAR BANGKOK
27 FEBRUARY – 1 MARCH 2007

The APCML in partnership with the St James Ethics Centre and the R oyal Thai Armed Forces
(RTArF) co-hosted a military leadership in peacekeeping forum in Bangkok in the period 27 February – 1 March 2007. The APCML was represented by Associate Director LTCOL Paul Muggleton.

The overall context for the seminar was peacekeeping with a specific subject area being analysed each day of the three days of the seminar. The three subject areas for the seminar were: Duty to Protect, Proportionality and Training.

The seminar was a very interesting activity not just because of the wide range of countries represented. The countries represented included: Australia; Bangladesh; Brunei; Cambodia; China; Indonesia; Malaysia; the Philippines; Singapore; Tonga; Vietnam; and, Thailand. The seminar also incorporated very innovative training techniques including the ‘fish-bowl’ technique for plenary discussions.

Seminar Participants

The objective of the ‘fish-bowl’ technique is to encourage maximum participation. The objective of the technique is that the participants provide the content. The key feature of the technique is a particular seating configuration. The technique requires the establishment of a round table, seating up to six persons, around which the rest of the participants are seated. Four of the six places at the central table are occupied by subject experts. One of these four serves as the nominated Chairman for the session. For the Thailand seminar Dr Simon Longstaff of the St James Ethics Centre was the Chairman for each of the three plenary sessions. The two ‘free’ seats were filled, temporarily, from any participant in the outer circle who had a point to make or who wished to refine or extend the discussion.

The seminar allowed for a very open discussion (based on the Chatham House Rule concept) on relevant subjects within a peacekeeping context. The seminar may lead to the establishment of an ongoing military leadership regional forum.

Contact details:

University Node Cathy Hutton Administrator Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law Law School The University of Melbourne VIC 3010 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 61 3 8344 4775 Fax: + 61 3 8344 0054 Email: law-apcml@unimelb.edu.au

Military Node Ian Martin Administrator Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law Building 100 Randwick Barracks Avoca Street RANDWICK NSW 2031 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 61 2 9349 0628 Fax: +61 2 9349 0757 Email: mlc.admin@defence.gov.au