The Urban-Act project held a milestone meeting with the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning (DPT) to explore potential areas in which the project could contribute expertise and support to enhance climate-sensitive spatial planning and urban development in Thailand.

This significant meeting was held on 13 December 2023 and was led by Ms. Anchalee Tanwanich, Advisor on Town and Country Planning, and Mr. Heinrich Gudenus, Project Director of the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities (Urban-Act). The collaboration also included researchers from Chulalongkorn University and Thammasat University, with the ambitious discussions aiming to explore the journey towards sustainable urban development.

Shared Objectives: The meeting’s primary objective was to identify work areas where Urban-Act could seamlessly align with DPT’s goals. Essential support includes technical support for climate-sensitive spatial and urban planning and enhanced capacity development of DPT personnel on relevant topics. Both parties are seeking to enhance climate-friendly spatial planning and usher in transformative changes.

3 Pilot Cities—the forefront of climate-sensitive spatial planning and urban development in Thailand: Pilot cities, consisting of Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, and Phuket, are at the forefront, with discussions revolving around resilient spatial and urban planning as well as mobilising urban climate action and the socio-economic system.

Strategic Outputs: Urban-Act’s strategic outputs were showcased and tailored to Thailand’s unique landscape. From integrating climate considerations into spatial plans to hazard identification, the outputs painted a roadmap for resilient urban development.

What lies ahead: The DPT is forming a specialised working group to coordinate with the Urban Act to advance climate-resilient urban planning. In addition, in collaboration with the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Interior, the Thai Meteorological Department, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning as well as Chulalongkorn and Thammasat universities, Urban-Act is working to support this initiative.

This collaboration is a significant step towards achieving Thailand’s climate-friendly spatial planning and urban development goals. The transformative effort will pave the way for Thailand’s low-carbon and resilient urban development.