Natural Resources Minister Visits Laos to Advance 'Clear Sky Strategy' and Support Wildfire Training Institute

Thailand's Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchathi Chomklin, accompanied by Permanent Secretary Dr. Ravivarn Bhurideach, visited the Lao People's Democratic Republic on April 30 to hold bilateral talks with Lao Agriculture and Environment Minister Dr. Linkham Douangxay. The discussions focused on transboundary haze management and sustainable natural resource management cooperation.

The meeting strengthened ties and elevated cooperation under the 'Clear Sky Strategy,' a tripartite framework involving Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. Both parties emphasized implementing a joint action plan to prevent and address transboundary haze problems from 2024 to 2030, targeting four concrete outcomes: developing Laos's air quality reporting platform and establishing a national air quality data center; establishing a WhatsApp hotline at the director-general level to report wildfire, smoke, and PM2.5 conditions with rapid coordination during burning season; developing a joint risk map and strengthening the tripartite network for wildfire prevention and control; and promoting GAP Zero Burning practices and implementing traceability systems for agricultural products, particularly animal feed corn, to ensure no connection to agricultural burning.

The meeting tasked the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants with supporting Laos in establishing a 'Wildfire Training Institute,' building on previous experience training 27 officials from Bokeo and Xayaburi provinces in 2023 at a training center in Chiang Mai. Following the discussions, the department's director-general visited an air quality monitoring station at a park along the Mekong River in Vientiane and presented 20 fire-protective suits to Laotian forest firefighting personnel to enhance their safety and preparedness.