The Colombo Plan underwent significant organisational renewal in 1995, transitioning from the Colombo Plan Bureau to the Colombo Plan Secretariat. This change saw the appointment of a Secretary-General to lead the organization, replacing the former Director role.
Dr. Kim Hak-su from Korea served as the inaugural Secretary-General from January 1995 to March 1999. He was succeeded by Dr. Sarat Chandran from India (April 1999 – June 2003), Mr. Kittipan Kanjanapipatkul from Thailand (June 2003 – August 2007), and Dato’ Patricia Yoon-Moi Chia from Malaysia (August 2007 – August 2011), marking the first time an Asian woman held this position.
Following her tenure, Mr. Adam Maniku from the Maldives served as Secretary-General from 15 August 2011 until November 2013. Subsequently, Mr. Kinley Dorji from Bhutan held office from May 2014 to April 2018. Ambassador Phan Kieu Thu from Vietnam served as Secretary-General from May 2018 until December 2021. Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes from the Philippines held the position from May 2022 to June 2026.
The incumbent Secretary-General, H.E. Chulamanee Chartsuwan from Thailand, commenced her duties on July 1, 2026, as the organization’s 9th Secretary-General, continuing the Colombo Plan’s legacy of leadership and service.
H. E. Chulamanee Chartsuwan is the 9th Secretary-General of the Colombo Plan for the term 2026-2030.
She served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand from 1984 to 2022, including as Deputy Permanent Secretary and Director-General of the Department of European Affairs.
From 2017 to 2021, she was Ambassador of Thailand to Sri Lanka and Maldives, during which she also represented Thailand as a Council Member of the Colombo Plan.
She served as Thailand’s Chief Negotiator for the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the European Union and later as Senior Expert and Chief Negotiator for Thailand in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
She holds degrees from Chulalongkorn University, Georgetown University, and Webster University, and was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France.
May 2022 – June 2026
Dr Benjamin P. Reyes assumed office as the 8th Secretary-General of the Colombo Plan on 3 May 2022. As a Career Executive Service Officer of the Philippine Civil Service, H.E. Dr Reyes served in the Philippine government for over 24 years making significant contribution to policy development, strategic formulation and programme management.
Prior to assuming the role of the Secretary-General at the Colombo Plan, H.E. Dr Reyes served as the Undersecretary (Deputy Minister) of the Dangerous Drug Board and the Chairman of the Drug Demand Reduction Committee in the Philippines.
H.E. Dr Reyes was also the Commissioner for the Philippines for the Global Centre for Credentialing and Certification (GCCC), the credentialing arm of the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme.
Dr Reyes is a distinguished alumnus of the University of the Philippines’ College of Dentistry, where he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 1994. He subsequently pursued his academic endeavours by earning a Master’s in Public Health with a specialisation in Biostatistics and Epidemiology Tracking from the University of the Philippines in 1998. Furthermore, Dr Reyes holds a Master’s in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management, (Dean’s List) in 2010.
Vietnam
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Maldives
Malaysia
Thailand
India
Republic of Korea (South Korea)
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