GRIPS conducted a five-day training program for officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration from the 24th to 27th and the 30th of September, 2013.

In this program, GRIPS welcomed 27 trainees who are senior professionals in human resource management.

During the program, participants attended lectures given by Prof. Kiyotaka Yokomichi (program director of this training program, vice-president of GRIPS), Prof. Hirofumi Takada (GRIPS), Prof. Bunzo Hirai (Asia University), and Prof. Shunsuke Kimura (Hitotsubashi University). Through these lectures at GRIPS, they learned Japanese systems of local government and local civil service, as well as personnel management and human resource development both at the central government and local government levels.

To promote better understanding of personnel management and human resource development in Japanese local governments, participants visited the Staff-Development Center and the North Ward Office in Saitama City. They received lectures there about the personnel management and human resource development of Saitama City. Many questions were raised from participants during the Q & A session.

Participants also visited the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, which is the first publicly run bonsai museum in the world.

Lastly, participants completed the training program by making presentations on what they learned during the program.