GRIPS conducted a 12-day Thai Public Management and Leadership Training Program (PMLTP) from August 20–31, 2012. The program was held at the request of the Office of the Civil Service Commission of the Thai government. GRIPS welcomed 16 promising government officials selected by the Thai government. They are in manager or assistant manager positions and all have a few years of experience.

During the program, participants attended lectures given by PMLTP Program Director and Vice President Professor Horie as well as lectures given by GRIPS faculty members including Senior Prof. Hara, Prof. Ota, Prof. Masuyama, Prof. Okazaki and Prof. Ikawa. In addition, Prof. Hideaki Tanaka (Graduate School of Governance Studies, Meiji University), Prof. Emeritus Kazuaki Tanaka (Takushoku University), Mr. Yoshikai (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), Mr. Masujima, (Former Administrative Vice Minister of the Management and Coordination Agency and Former Professor at Chuo University) and Mr. Sugimoto (Executive Officer,  SECOM Co., Ltd.) gave lectures/seminars.

Leadership workshops were held three times at GRIPS with young executives from the public and private sectors as well as with GRIPS students to exchange ideas and build networks. Prof. Horie, Prof. Yokomichi and Assoc. Prof. Hatakeyama served as moderators.

In Tokyo, participants visited the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment, where they were given special lectures on trade policy, energy policy, air and water pollution problems, and global warming. They also visited the National Diet.

The Thai delegation also went on a field trip to Nara Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City to pay courtesy calls and receive briefings on local government administration reform, environmental policy, and tourism policy. In addition, they also visited Kyocera Corporation, one of the leading-edge companies in Kyoto.

Lastly, participants completed the training program by writing and presenting concept papers on “Challenges to Thai Society and Government in Times of Rapid Changes and Roles of Leadership in the Government.”