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Phirapat Mangkhalasiri

Phirapat Mangkhalasiri

Centre for Crime Science, Royal Police Cadet Academy
LinkedIn  (external link, opens in new window) 

Visiting Toronto Metropolitan University

Winter 2026

Police Lieutenant Colonel Phirapat Mangkhalasiri is a former investigator with over a decade of experience bridging police practice and academic research. He holds a PhD from UCL Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science, London, where he examined investigations and prosecutions of child trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation in Thailand. His expertise includes human trafficking, transnational crime, and justice system reform. Phirapat interned at UNODC’s Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section in Vienna, deepening his understanding of international and victim-centred frameworks.

He currently serves as Deputy Director of the Centre for Crime Science under the Royal Thai Police and lectures in criminology and victimology at the Royal Police Cadet Academy. He leads efforts to promote evidence-based policing in Southeast Asia and works to build capacity among new officers through scientific and ethical foundations. His work reflects a commitment to integrating policy, practice, and research to address complex and evolving security challenges.

Research focus while a Bridging Divides Future Leaders Fellow

During the fellowship, Phirapat’s research will focus on labour trafficking for forced criminality in scam centres across Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on Thai and regional victims. This project aligns with Bridging Divides' research themes Employment and Lifelong Learning and Citizenship and Participation by exploring the use of digital tools, such as mobile legal support, digital ID recovery, and secure case coordination, to support ethical reintegration and victim-centred responses. Collaboration with Bridging Divides will enhance this research through interdisciplinary exchange and regional policy engagement, contributing to more effective and inclusive approaches to addressing digital dimensions of exploitation.

 

Selected publications

Mangkhalasiri, P., Khruakham, S., & Jaisuban, J. (fourthcoming, 2026). Applying situational crime prevention to combat child sexual abuse materials. RPCA Journal of Criminology and Social Sciences.

Mangkhalasiri, P., Khruakham, S., & Phetthong, N. (fourthcoming, 2026). Data for justice: Potentials and challenges in using state records for human trafficking research. Journal of Thai Justice System.

Mangkhalasiri, P., & Poothakool, K. (2025). Data science in policing in Thailand: Challenges and future directions, a review from international perspectives. Rangsit Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 12(2).

Mangkhalasiri, P. (2024). Challenges of Investigating and Prosecuting Child Sex Trafficking and Child Labour Trafficking in Thailand (Doctoral dissertation, University of London, University College London (United Kingdom).