Monday 9 March 2026, Bangkok: GIZ Thailand once again brought together a group of thought leaders at the second Bangkok Perspectives, an exclusive business dialogue, under the theme ‘Navigating the Haze: People, Businesses and the Economics of Clean Air’, at BDMS Connect Center.
Air pollution in Thailand is no longer only an environmental concern as it is rapidly becoming a public health crisis, an economic drain and a supply chain risk that cuts across many sectors. GIZ convened this platform to kickstart dialogue among business and government, create greater awareness and call for action.
The evening began with opening remarks from Dr Timo Menniken, Country Director of GIZ Thailand, who has regional oversight across seven Asian countries. This was followed by a welcome address from Dr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, who emphasised liveability in an urban setting, stating that clean air was not a luxury, but a fundamental foundation for every aspect of a developing city.
Two subsequent speakers shared their thoughts on the topic.
Sarinee Achavanuntakul, Executive Director of Climate Finance Network Thailandand Harvard-trained economist, presented some alarming figures in her keynote: ‘Economic Cost of Pollution, and Economic Benefits of Clean Air Act’. She dismantled the idea that clean air represents a cost, and made the case that not cleaning our air is the real economic burden – the extra burden on healthcare, lost productivity, stranded assets and weakened competitiveness. She highlighted the significant role of the Clean Air Act, saying that it was not just environmental policy but represented fiscal responsibility, too.
Wachirachai Koonamwattana, Chief Sustainability Officer of Siam Cement Group, as an industry insider of 30 years, spoke on navigating the intersection of growth and accountability in his presentation ‘Clean Air: Reflections and Perspectives’. He showed what it looks like when a corporation moves beyond compliance into genuine stewardship: measuring emissions with integrity, setting green standards across the entire construction value chain, and proving that sustainability and strategy are not in conflict.
The informal ‘fireside chat’ then opened three more wide-reaching and important topics of discussion with the audience.Nithee Seeprae, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communication of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, reminded everyone of the impact of air pollution on Thailand’s tourism industry. Dr Soawapak Hinjoy, Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Public Health and a Johns Hopkins-trained public health specialist, showed evidence on how air pollution severely impacts health. Finally, Chalermpol Samranpong, Senior Specialist at Charoen Pokphand Foods plc,discussed how sustainable agriculture and farming could reduce the levels of transboundary haze.
Bangkok Perspectives provides a platform for dialogue and exchange among speakers, participants, and changemakers from the public and private sectors, highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing shared challenges and contributing expertise to solutions through policy, investment, innovation and community engagement. For further information or to explore future collaboration, please contact perspectives@giz.de.
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