8TH ASEAN POLICE FORENSIC SCIENCE NETWORK (APFSN) MEETING

8TH ASEAN POLICE FORENSIC SCIENCE NETWORK (APFSN) MEETING

Bangkok, Thailand — The 8th ASEAN Police Forensic Science Network (APFSN) Meeting was successfully convened on 9–10 March 2026 at Chatrium Grand Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting was organized under the auspices of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, in collaboration with the Royal Thai Police (RTP) as the host country.

APFSN is one of the four official sideline meetings held following the annual ASEANAPOL Conference and serves as an important regional platform for strengthening cooperation in forensic science among ASEAN Member Countries (AMCs). For 2026, the Royal Thai Police graciously hosted the meeting following Thailand’s successful hosting of the 43rd ASEANAPOL Conference in 2025.

The meeting was attended by forensic science practitioners and law enforcement representatives from all ASEAN Member Countries, together with representatives from the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, led by the Executive Director and the Director for Police Services (DPS). The gathering provided a valuable opportunity for experts across the region to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and discuss recent developments in forensic science relevant to modern criminal investigations.

During the meeting, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat also presented the Regional Transformation Principles 9 (RTP-9) as a guiding framework to support the modernization and strengthening of ASEANAPOL cooperation. The principles emphasize a results-oriented approach built upon the philosophy of “Think with Vision, Act with Unity, Deliver with Results,” encouraging ASEAN Member Countries to enhance collaboration, professional capacity, and operational effectiveness in addressing emerging transnational crime challenges.

Discussions further focused on strengthening technical cooperation among forensic laboratories, promoting capacity building initiatives, enhancing professional development for forensic practitioners, improving mechanisms for information sharing, and exploring innovative forensic techniques to address evolving and increasingly complex transnational crime challenges.

Participants also examined emerging technologies and advanced forensic methodologies that can further support law enforcement agencies in responding to sophisticated criminal activities. Through the facilitation of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, the APFSN continues to play a vital role in connecting forensic science communities across the region and advancing collaborative approaches within the ASEANAPOL framework.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation by ASEAN Member Countries of their shared commitment to further strengthen cooperation in forensic science and to continue enhancing the capabilities of forensic practitioners across the region, in support of more effective criminal investigations and regional security.