Held over 3-7 June in Jakarta, Indonesia, the workshop aimed to enhance the capability of frontline border officers at airports to counter trafficking in persons and counter people smuggling. At the workshop, participants developed Return to Work Action Plans, outlining commitments to implementing follow-up actions based on their learning.

The 2024 Bali Process Regional Workshop supported participants to develop their practical knowledge and skills through expert-led sessions and interactive group activities. Key topics covered included document examination, travellers’ assessment, and techniques for detecting imposters.  

The workshop enhanced attendees’ understanding of border operations at various airports across Southeast Asia, supporting enhanced cross-border cooperation within the region. 

In this article, the RSO highlights the work of several RSO alumni who demonstrated notable progress in implementing their Return to Work Action Plans.

Following the 2024 Bali Process Regional Workshop on Border Management by Air, Patcharapon Phomphan, Deputy Inspector of Mukdahan Immigration in Immigration Division 4, explored opportunities to enhance operations at the Mukdahan Immigration outpost on the Thailand-Laos border.  

Lek and her team worked together to renovate new screening rooms—one at the Mukdahan border checkpoint and one at the Mukdahan Immigration Bureau—recognising the importance of private, safe spaces for interviews with potential trafficking victims. 

Patcharapon shared insights from the training and copies of the RSO Quick Reference Guide in Thai with colleagues, supported by incentives to recognise officers who successfully put new skills into practice. Following these actions, she noted successful interceptions of travellers using false documents at the Mukdahan immigration checkpoint. 

Patcharapon also organised bilateral meetings with the newly appointed Thai Consulate General in Savannakhet, Laos, to discuss strategies for assisting Thai nationals who may have experienced trafficking and to establish valuable connections. 

As Patcharapon expressed, “My goal is to elevate the skill level in my office to meet international standards. Given the limited education and resources available here, I am committed to sharing knowledge and best practices whenever possible. I take pride in having enhanced my team’s skills and expertise on border security and management.” 

Ma-an Krista Tadeo Lapid-Legaspi, has been actively implementing her Return-to-Work Action Plan, focusing on enhancing the capabilities of colleagues in the Philippines Bureau of Immigration. Since the workshop, she has presented her findings and recommendations, including on the need for improved training and information dissemination among immigration officers nationwide. In August, Ma-an coordinated passenger assessment training with the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) at Clark International Airport in Mabalacat, Philippines, collaborating with Manila’s Bureau of Immigration Anti-fraud Section, and conducted refresher sessions on document examination and impostor detection. She also secured further local training support from the Canadian Embassy, set to begin in October. 

Her engagement extended to the Philippine Government Immigration Border Control Summit 2024, where the team presented their Action Plan recommendations to senior officials, including the Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau. To enhance information sharing, Ma-an is spearheading the distribution of a quick reference guide for immigration officers in airport settings that she has developed for the Philippines Bureau of Immigration resource library, to provide frontline immigration officers with access to resources and information that can support them in their work. 

Reflecting on the impact of the RSO training, Ma-an noted, “It motivated me to actively disseminate information—initially the quick reference guides were intended only for Terminal Heads, but I have encouraged the dissemination of this to all frontline and immigration officers across the country. The quick reference guide I developed is now being digitised for broader use.” 

Ma-an is also advocating for the establishment of an anti-fraud laboratory at Clark International Airport, expected to launch in November, with tools provided by the Australian Government for document examination. 

Ma-an highlights one of her key-takeaways from the RSO workshop: “The most impactful aspect of the RSO training was the opportunity to engage in discussions with Immigration Officers from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. This experience deepened my understanding of regional practices and cultural nuances, which has been invaluable in addressing issues at the border in the Philippines. The cross-border information sharing we experienced in Jakarta could greatly benefit more of our officers.” 

RSO alumni Muhammad Nizam bin Abu Jaapar and Logein Mohan are leveraging insights and learnings from the Jakarta workshop to enhance Malaysia’s air border management through a collaborative Action Plan. Stationed at different airports—Muhammad at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and Logein at Kuching International Airport—their primary goal is to foster cooperative relationships among agencies in Malaysia’s air border management, including airlines, airport authorities, and other government entities. 

Muhammad and Logein have jointly submitted a proposal to the National Strategic Office Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants to develop a national adapted version of the Bali Process Regional Workshop on Border Management by Air. The national training aims to support improved operations at Malaysia’s air borders by establishing cooperative relationships among airlines, airport management, and relevant governmental agencies, with a first workshop proposed for March 2025 in Langkawi.  

As Muhammad expressed, “I found this course to be very interesting. It helps you learn and understand the regulations, problems, and challenges of other countries regarding Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants. I also hope this programme, or similar engagements can be conducted regularly.”  

The RSO works with regional partners to support knowledge and skills development across the Bali Process region for law enforcement officers, maritime and aviation immigration officials, policy makers and counter-trafficking and migration practitioners. 

The RSO Return to Work Action Plans play an important role in supporting long-term capacity and sustainable outcomes.   

Eun Jung Yi, RSO Programme Manager for Border and Migration Management said: “It was inspiring to see the enthusiasm officials brought to the training room. However, I recognise that learning can quickly fade once alumni return to their busy roles. That is why we developed the Return to Work Action Plan to provide ongoing support. We want to ensure alumni feel assisted as they implement the new methods, tools, and approaches introduced during the training. Ultimately, our goal is for these officials to become champions of enhanced practices and knowledge in countering people smuggling and trafficking in persons at their duty stations, inspiring others to do the same.” 

To find out more about the RSO’s work in this space, please email info@rso.baliprocess.net.