PhD Thesis
PhD Thesis Title: Seeking Asylum beyond the Refugee Convention: Exploring Non-State Parties’ Obligations under International Law
PhD Supervisor: Vincent Chetail
Expected completion date: 2025
Profile
Jittawadee Chotinukul is a PhD Researcher in International Law at the Geneva Graduate Institute. Her research focuses on the refugee protection regime in states not party to the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol. She is an editorial assistant of Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Migration and Asylum Law and has served as a research assistant at the Global Migration Centre. Prior to academia, Jittawadee worked with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on refugee status determination, among other professional experiences. Jittawadee holds a master’s degree in International Law from the Geneva Graduate Institute, a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the National University of Singapore, and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Chulalongkorn University. She is a qualified lawyer in Thailand.
Publications and Works
- Chotinukul J, ‘From Global Commitments to Local Implementation: A Legal Analysis of Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism’ in Janmyr M, Gürakar Skribeland Ö and Kazmi AB (eds), Non-Signatory States in International Refugee Law (Brill Nijhoff 2025) 153-173.
- Chotinukul J, ‘Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ in Chetail V (ed), Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Migration and Asylum Law (Edward Elgar Publishing 2025) 6-13.
- Chotinukul J and Chetail V, ‘Refugee Status’ in Chetail V (ed), Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Migration and Asylum Law (Edward Elgar Publishing 2025) 450-454.
- Chotinukul J, ‘The Global Compacts on Refugees and for Migration and the Future of Climate Change-Induced Displaced Persons’ (Refugee Law Initiative, 27 January 2021).
- Chotinukul J, ‘Thailand and the National Screening Mechanism: A Step Forward for Refugee Protection?’ (2020) Global Migration Research Paper No. 25.
Conferences and talks
- ‘RSD Handover from UNHCR to Thailand: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?’ at the BEYOND Project Workshop on International Refugee Law and Non-Signatory States to the 1951 Refugee Convention: Developing a Research Agenda, University of Oslo (2023)
- ‘RSD Transition from UNHCR to Non-Party States: A Mirage of Enhanced Protection for Refugees?’ at the 6th RLI Annual Conference on Improving the Global Refugee Regime: From Theory to Practice?, School of Advanced Study, University of London (2022)
Fellowships, Grants and Awards
- Full Scholarship, PhD in International Law, Graduate Institute, Geneva
- Excellence Scholarship for ASEAN Nationals for Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law, National University of Singapore