Tommy Koh

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Tommy Koh

| native_name = {{nobold|许通美}}

| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|list=DUNU DUBC PJG BBM}}

| image = Singaporean diplomat Tommy Koh (cropped).JPG

| alt =

| caption = Koh in 2018

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1937|11|12}}

| birth_place = Singapore, Straits Settlements

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Singaporean

| citizenship =

| other_names =

| known_for =

| alma_mater = University of Malaya (LLB)
Harvard University (LLM)
University of Cambridge

| education =

| employer =

| occupation = {{hlist|Lawyer|professor|diplomat|author}}

| title =

| spouse = {{marriage|Poh Siew Aing|1967}}

| children = 2

{{plainlist|

Aun Koh

}}

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

{{Chinese

| s = 许通美

| p = Xǔ Tōngměi

| poj = Khó Thong-bí

}}

Tommy Koh Thong Bee {{postnominals|list=DUNU DUBC PJG BBM}} ({{zh|c=许通美|p=Xǔ Tōngměi}}; born 12 November 1937) is a Singaporean diplomat, lawyer, professor and author who served as Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 1968 and 1971.

Early life and education

Koh, the eldest of three sons,{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=Sumiko |date=3 December 2017 |title=Lunch With Sumiko: Kindness is the greatest virtue, says Tommy Koh |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lunch-with-sumiko-professor-tommy-koh-on-winning-friends-and-influencing-people |access-date=6 July 2020 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}} was born in Singapore on 12 November 1937. His father was originally from Tong'an, Fujian and his mother was from Shanghai. He attended from Serangoon Secondary School and Raffles Institution before graduating from the University of Malaya in Singapore (now the National University of Singapore) with a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours degree.

He subsequently went on to complete a Master of Laws degree at Harvard University, where he was classmate with Ngiam Tong Dow,{{Cite web|last=Ho|first=Grace|date=2020-08-22|title=PM Lee, friends pay tribute to Ngiam Tong Dow|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/pm-lee-friends-pay-tribute-to-ngiam-tong-dow|access-date=2020-09-07|website=The Straits Times|archive-date=24 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824234136/http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/pm-lee-friends-pay-tribute-to-ngiam-tong-dow|url-status=live}} and a Graduate Diploma in criminology at the University of Cambridge.

Koh was conferred a full professorship in 1977. Koh was awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Yale University, Monash University, and the National University of Singapore. He has also received awards from Columbia University, Stanford University, Georgetown University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and Curtin University.

Career

File:ASEAN_Press_Briefing_on_Kampuchea_Conference.jpg at a UN press conference during the Kampuchean crisis, with envoys from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, 20 July 1981]]

Koh is an international law professor, action and Ambassador-at-Large for the Singaporean government. He presently serves as Special Adviser at the Institute of Policy Studies,{{Cite web |url=http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx |title=www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx |access-date=12 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717043146/http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx |archive-date=17 July 2012 |url-status=dead }} Chairman of the National Heritage Board, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Centre for International Law, and Rector of Tembusu College at the National University of Singapore. He is on secondment from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law.{{Cite web |url=http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx |title=Institute of Policy Studies, Tommy Koh biography. |access-date=12 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717043146/http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/Tommy_KOH.aspx |archive-date=17 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}

Koh was President of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, 1980–1982. Lax and Sebenius present Koh and his efforts in getting the Convention passed, as an example of successful negotiating.David A. Lax and James K. Sebenius, "Thinking Coalitionally: Party Arithmetic, Process Opportunism, and Strategic Sequencing," in H. Peyton Young, ed. Negotiation Analysis. (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1991), pp. 153–194. 1990 to 1992 he served as Chairman of the Main Committee of the UN Conference on Environment and Development, where he presided over the negotiations on Agenda 21. He has also served as Singapore's ambassador to the United Nations and the United States.

Koh was the first Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), established in Singapore in 1997 by the countries of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

On 9 August 2008, Koh was conferred with the Order of Nila Utama (First Class) by the Singaporean government for his outstanding contributions in the Singapore legislative team representing Singapore in the Pedra Branca dispute case with the Malaysian government.{{cite news|title=NDP awards|publisher=Straits Times|date=8 September 2008}}

In 2014, Koh received the Great Negotiator Award from Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School for his multiple contributions to diplomacy, most notably his work as chief negotiator for the United States–Singapore Free Trade Agreement, his work around developing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, his important efforts in resolving territorial and humanitarian disputes in the Baltics and Asia, and his success in leading both the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea and the UN Conference on Environment and Development (also known as the Rio Earth Summit).

In September 2018, via a Facebook post, Tommy Koh encouraged the LGBT communities of Singapore to challenge Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalise same-sex intercourse between men.{{Cite web|last=Yahya|first=Yasmine|date=2018-09-07|title=Tommy Koh's Facebook comment reignites debate on Singapore's gay sex law|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/tommy-kohs-facebook-post-on-gay-sex-law-reignites-debate-on-singapores-penal-code|access-date=2020-09-07|website=The Straits Times|archive-date=7 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507005029/https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/tommy-kohs-facebook-post-on-gay-sex-law-reignites-debate-on-singapores-penal-code|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh calls on S'pore's gay community to mount challenge against S377A|url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/veteran-diplomat-tommy-koh-calls-spores-gay-community-mount-challenge-against-s377a|access-date=2020-09-07|website=TODAYonline|archive-date=8 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908124922/https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/veteran-diplomat-tommy-koh-calls-spores-gay-community-mount-challenge-against-s377a|url-status=live}}

Koh is on the panel of mediators for Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC).

Selected writings

Tommy Koh, [https://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/koh_english.pdfA Constitution of the Oceans], UNCLOS December 1982, accessed 20 May 2017
Tommy Koh, Five Years After Rio:Some Personal Reflections, UN Chronicle 1997, accessed at [https://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle-arch/1997/essay44p.htm Essay] 29 August 2006
Tommy T.B. Koh and Amitav Acharya (ed.), The Quest for World Order: Perspectives of a Pragmatic Idealist, Times Academic Press, Singapore, 1997 {{ISBN|981-210-108-X}}
Tommy Koh, Five Years After Rio:Some Personal Reflections, UN Chronicle 1997, accessed at [https://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle-arch/1997/essay44p.htm Essay] 29 August 2006
{{cite book |author=Tommy Koh |title=The Tommy Koh Reader: Favourite Essays and Lectures |publisher=World Scientific, 2013 |isbn=978-981-4571-07-4 |pages=640|doi=10.1142/8999 |year=2013 }}
{{cite book |author=Tommy Koh, Li Lin Chang and Joanna Koh |title=50 Years of Singapore and the United Nations |publisher=World Scientific, 2015 |isbn=978-981-4713-03-0 |pages=384|doi=10.1142/9729 |year=2015 }}
{{cite book |author=Tommy Koh, Sharon Li-Lian Seah and Li Lin Chang |title=50 Years of ASEAN and Singapore |publisher=World Scientific, 2017|isbn=9789813225121 |pages=444|doi=10.1142/10572 |year=2017 }}
{{cite book |author=Tommy Koh and Li Lin Chang |title=The Little Red Dot |publisher=World Scientific, 2005|url=https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/5893 |isbn=9789812564146 |pages=504|doi=10.1142/5893 |year=2005 |doi-broken-date=12 July 2025 }}
{{Cite book|last=Koh|first=Tommy|title=Fifty Secrets of Singapore's Success|publisher=Straits Times Press|year=2020}}{{Cite web|last=Koh|first=Fabian|date=2020-01-29|title=New book curated by Tommy Koh tells Singapore's recipe for success in 340 pages|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-recipe-for-success-in-340-pages|access-date=2020-09-07|website=The Straits Times|archive-date=29 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129141838/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-recipe-for-success-in-340-pages|url-status=live}}
Tommy T.B. Koh & Hernaikh Singh (eds), India On Our Minds: Essays By Tharman Shanmugaratnam And 50 Singaporean Friends Of India, World Scientific Publishing, 2021.
Tommy Koh, Lin Heng Lye and Shawn Lum (eds). [https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/13561#t=aboutBook Peace with Nature: 50 Inspiring Essays on Nature and the Environment]. World Scientific, 2023.

Honours and awards

1961: Adrian Clarke Memorial Medal, University of Malaya (Singapore).{{Cite web |title=Tommy Koh - Esplanade Offstage |url=https://www.esplanade.com/offstage/arts/tommy-koh |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=www.esplanade.com |language=en}}
1961: Leow Chia Heng Prize, University of Malaya (Singapore).
1963: Fulbright Student, Master of Laws (LLM), Harvard University.
1971: Public Service Star (Bintang Bakti Masyarakat), Singapore.{{Cite web |last1=Omar |first1=Marista |last2=Tan |first2=Florence |title=Tommy Koh (SINGAPORE INFOPEDIA) |url=https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=29801390-9080-4c91-af51-4c679a04660c |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=National Library Board Singapore}}
1976: International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), Washington DC.
1979: Meritorious Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Gemilang), Singapore.
1984: Wolfgang Friedman Award, Columbia University Law School, New York.
1984: Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Yale University, Connecticut.{{Cite web |title=PROFESSOR TOMMY KOH |url=https://tembusu.nus.edu.sg/people/tommy-koh |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=Tembusu College; National University of Singapore}}
1985: Jackson H. Ralston Prize, Stanford Law School, California.
1985: Annual Award of the Asia Society, New York.
1987: International Service Award, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, USA.
1987: Jit Trainor Award for Distinction in Diplomacy, Georgetown University, USA.
1990: Distinguished Service Order Award (Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang), Singapore.
1993: Commander, Order of the Golden Ark, The Netherlands.
1996: Elizabeth Haub Prize for Environmental Law, University of Brussels.
1997: Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile.
1998: Fok Ying Tung Southeast Asia Prize, Fok Ying Tung Foundation, Hong Kong (29 May).
2000: Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland.
2000: John Curtin Medal, Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia.
2000: Grand Officer, Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
2000: Distinguished Service to Arts Education, LASALLE-SIA College Award.
2001: Officer in the Légion d'honneur, President of the French Republic.
2002: Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
2003: Peace and Commerce Award for efforts at building trade links with the United States.
2004: Outstanding Service Award, National University of Singapore on 12 May.
2004: Encomienda of Isabel la Catolica, from His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain on 24 May.
2006: Champions of the Earth, United Nations Environment Programme.
2006: President's Award for the Environment, Singapore.{{Cite web |date=2006 |title=2006 President's Award for the Environment Recipients |url=https://www.mse.gov.sg/pae/2006 |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment}}
2006: Build A Better World Award, CH2M Hill.{{Cite web |date=2006 |title=EXPANDING MARKETS |url=https://www.ch2mhillalumni.org/TopicalOutline/Approved%20Unlimited%20PDF%20Articles/Year%202006%20PDF's/2006%20-%202nd%20Qtr%20-%20p10%20and%2011.pdf |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=CH2M Hill Alumni}}
2007: Watermark Honorary Award, Public Utilities Board, Singapore.{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=Watermark Award 2007 |url=https://www.pub.gov.sg/-/media/Images/Feature/Content-Pages/Public/Singapore-Water-Loop/Water-Conversation/Awards-and-Certifications/Watermark-Award-2007.pdf |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=Public Utilities Board.}}
2007: Tatler Leadership Award for Lifetime Achievement, Singapore Tatler magazine.
2008: Order of Nila Utama (First Class), Singapore.
2008: Onassis Distinguished Scholars Award, Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy, Rhodes, Greece.{{Cite web |date=February 2021 |title=RHODES ACADEMY OF OCEANS LAW AND POLICY |url=https://marine.unh.edu/sites/default/files/media/2021/02/rhodes-booklet-2021_lo.pdf |website=University of New Hampshire, School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, Rhodes Academy}}
2009: Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, 2009 (Japan).Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, [http://www.mofa.go.jp/ICSFiles/afieldfile/2009/11/04/2009_Autumn_Conferment_of_Decorations_on_Foreign_Nationals.pdf "2009 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals," p. 2.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216151211/http://www.mofa.go.jp/ICSFiles/afieldfile/2009/11/04/2009_Autumn_Conferment_of_Decorations_on_Foreign_Nationals.pdf |date=16 February 2013 }}
2014: Great Negotiator Award, 2014 (Harvard Law School/Harvard Kennedy School).[[Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School

and the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School (Cambridge, MA, USA)|Harvard Law School]], [http://www.pon.harvard.edu/events/2014-great-negotiator-award-events-scheduled-for-thursday-april-10th/ "The 2014 Great Negotiator Award Program" ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408101527/http://www.pon.harvard.edu/events/2014-great-negotiator-award-events-scheduled-for-thursday-april-10th/ |date=8 April 2014 }}

2017: Mochtar Kusumaatmadja Award (Inaugural), Indonesia.{{Cite news |last=Soeriaatmadja |first=Wahyudi |date=14 October 2017 |title=Tommy Koh receives inaugural Indonesia award for international law contributions |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/tommy-koh-receives-inaugural-indonesia-award-for-international-law-contributions |access-date=24 February 2024 |work=The Straits Times}}
2018: Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour.{{Cite news |date=2018-01-26 |title=Tommy Koh among 10 Asean recipients of India's Padma Shri Award |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/tommy-koh-among-10-asean-recipients-of-indias-padma-shri-award |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}
2020: World Toilet Organization (WTO) Hall of Fame Award.{{Cite web |title=About Us: Professor Tommy Koh |url=https://worldtoilet.org/web-agency-gb-about-us/about-us-professor-tommy-koh/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=World Toilet Organization |language=en-US}}
2022: Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D), National University of Singapore (NUS).{{Cite news |last=Rahim |first=Nisha |date=2022-07-06 |title=Tommy Koh, Wang Gungwu awarded honorary degrees by NUS for their contributions |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/tommy-koh-wang-gungwu-awarded-honorary-degrees-by-nus-for-their-contributions |access-date=2024-02-24 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}
2023: ASIANSIL Paik Choong-Hyun Prize, Asian Society of International Law.{{Cite web |date=August 2023 |title=CIL INSIDER NEWS: SPECIAL ISSUE |url=https://cil.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CIL-Insider-Special-Issue-Asian-SIL.pdf |access-date=7 March 2024 |website=Centre of International Law National University of Singapore}}
2024: Adinata Award, Indonesia.{{Cite news |date=2024-08-17 |title=Singapore's Prof Tommy Koh receives Indonesia's Independence Day award |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-s-prof-tommy-koh-receives-indonesia-s-independence-day-award |access-date=2024-09-03 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}

Lectures

[http://legal.un.org/avl/faculty/Koh_T.html The Art and Science of Chairing Major Inter-governmental Conferences] in the [http://legal.un.org/avl/lectureseries.html Lecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law]
[http://legal.un.org/avl/faculty/Koh_T.html The Negotiating Process of UNCLOS III] in the [http://legal.un.org/avl/lectureseries.html Lecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law]
[http://legal.un.org/avl/faculty/Koh_T.html Straits Used for International Navigation] in the [http://legal.un.org/avl/lectureseries.html Lecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law]

Personal life

Tommy Koh is married to Poh Siew Aing. They have two sons, of which Aun Koh is a well known blogger.{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Kim Hoh |date=2016-07-03 |title=How an 'angry fat loser' became a fashion icon |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/how-an-angry-fat-loser-became-a-fashion-icon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906173628/http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/how-an-angry-fat-loser-became-a-fashion-icon |archive-date=6 September 2020 |access-date=2020-09-07 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}}