In 2020, the Lower Mekong Initiative was upgraded and expanded to the Mekong-U.S. Partnership (MUSP). The MUSP Track 1.5 Policy Dialogue series is a flagship initiative of the Partnership and includes eleven virtual and in-person dialogues from 2021 to 2024, focusing on key policy and sustainability challenges facing Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. This event will launch the summary report to share takeaways and policy recommendations from the 9th Policy Dialogue, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2024 as a deep-dive on needs and opportunities related to the prevention of scams, including the roles of media and civil society, multilateral collaboration, and regulatory efforts related to special economic zones (SEZs) and casinos, digital finance, and telecommunications.
Featured Speakers
Andrew Herrup, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Pending Confirmation)
Andrew R. Herrup became Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in September 2024. He previously served as the charge d’affaires a.i. in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from May to August 2024. Prior to this, he served as Economic Minister Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea from 2021-2024, including 13 months as acting Deputy Chief of Mission. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi from 2016 to 2019. Other overseas assignments include Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, and Malaysia. In Washington, he served as the Indonesia Unit Chief and as a special assistant for Deputy Secretary of State William Burns. DAS Herrup joined the Foreign Service in 2000. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he practiced environmental law at a Washington, D.C. law firm. DAS Herrup received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Hieu Ngo, Threat Hunter at National Cyber Security Center of Viet Nam and Co-founder of Chongluadao
Hieu Minh Ngo, also known as HieuPC, is known in the cybersecurity industry for his journey from being a hacker involved in identity theft and cybercrime to making significant contributions as an ethitcal “white hat” hacker. Ngo’s life took a new direction after he served a 13-year prison sentence in the US for stealing and selling the data of more than 200 million Americans. His accomplishments are acknowledged by tech companies for his work identifying and resolving security flaws.
Apiradee Thienthong, Trafficking and Cyber Crime Specialist, USAID Thailand CTIP at Winrock International
With over 15 years of experience in the counter-trafficking sector at both national and ASEAN regional levels, Apiradee (Api) Thienthong has most recently served as the Country Manager for Thailand with the ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking (ASEAN-ACT) initiative prior to joining Winrock. Api is also a Thai government-appointed expert on international cooperation within the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Committee. She has significantly contributed to key publications, including the Regional Review on the Laws, Policies, and Practices within ASEAN Member States Relating to the Identification and Treatment of Victims of Trafficking, Especially Women and Children. Api holds a PhD in International Relations from Ramkhamhaeng University, with her dissertation focused on Revisiting the ASEAN Way: Responses to Human Trafficking, with a Case Study on Migration from Myanmar to Thailand.
Anastasia Zhiling Dong, Project Officer, Humanity Research Consultancy
Anastasia is a project officer at HRC with experience in the Taiwanese fishery industry, brings a strong interdisciplinary background of Digital Humanities and Modern East Asian Study. She has a keen interest in cybersecurity and policy monitoring. Her primary focus is on addressing human rights abuses in Asia and Europe. Anastasia has extensive research and professional experience in modern slavery, supply chains, and human trafficking. Anastasia speaks Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese, and English.
Courtney Weatherby, Southeast Asia Deputy Director, Stimson Center (Moderator)
Courtney Weatherby is Deputy Director of the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia and Energy, Water, & Sustainability programs. Her research focuses on sustainable infrastructure and energy development challenges in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific, particularly the nexus of issues in food, water, and energy in the Greater Mekong Subregion. She supports the Mekong Dam Monitor, a platform for near-real time monitoring of dams and environmental impacts in the Mekong Basin.