Dr. Klairoong Poonpon is the Director of CITES Implementation Division, at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand. With core expertise on policy formulation for combating Wildlife Trafficking, strengthening wildlife law enforcement, protected areas management and international environmental law; Dr. Klairoong is considered as one of the leading wildlife law enforcement experts in Thailand, spending most of her career in addressing illegal wildlife trade.

Starting off her law enforcement career as a Thai Government career bureaucrat, Dr. Klairoong was a Liaison Officer to ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (WEN) and was able to bring significant impact in bringing together Asian countries to cooperate in information sharing related to transboundary illegal wildlife trade.

Before being the Director of CITES implementation, she served in several senior positions as the Head of Planning and Budget Section (DNP); Technical Support Officer to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment and; Director of General Administration at the Division of Wildlife Conservation Bureau (DNP).

In her international assignment, Dr. Klairoong was the Chairperson of the INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group (2012-2013) and later was the member of its Executive Board.

Dr. Klairoong received her doctorate in Public Administration from Thailand’s National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA). She holds a Master’s degree in Forest Resources Administration and Bachelors in Forestry – both from Kasetsart University, Thailand. She is trained on crime investigation from Police College, Royal Thai Police.