On 22 April 2026, the Southeast Asia Climate and Clean Air Initiative (SEACAI), implemented by GIZ, in partnership with the Pollution Control Department (PCD), convened the Thailand National Planning Workshop at Hotel Nikko, Bangkok. The event brought together 35 participants, including government officials from provincial agricultural and environmental offices, technical specialists and implementation partners from various sectors. The workshop successfully established operational timelines and preliminary site selections for demonstration pilots aimed at reducing Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) across Thailand’s agricultural and relevant sectors.
The designated demonstration pilot sites were scoped to explore mitigation strategies, focusing on reducing agricultural burning and forest fires. These pilots operate in alignment with the Thailand National Action Plan for Particulate Matter Prevention and Control (2025-2027 and subsequent five years) framework and contribute directly to SEACAI’s three-tier operational model: policy support at the ASEAN level, implementation-oriented processes within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), and country-specific capacity development.
In selecting demonstration sites according to the defined criteria, consideration was given to upscaling the potential to other areas in alignment with national and regional agendas and operational feasibility from 2026-2028 in accordance with the SEACAI project timeline. Additionally, stakeholders provided input and participated in scoring to build consensus and establish implementation sequencing collaboratively.
To ensure effective pilot site implementation, the workshop established systematic operational guidelines to promote air pollution reduction policies grounded in agricultural and forestry practices. This was supported by integrated communications aligned with the Clear Sky Strategy, targeting government officials, farmers and urban populations. Concurrently, personnel capacity building strengthened knowledge and the capacity of Zero-Burn technology. The workshop further secured engagement with the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) on Thailand’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation pathways, integrating agricultural and forestry sector air pollution reduction into Thailand’s climate commitments.
The workshop established clear accountability. The PCD will lead operational implementation, while GIZ, the SDC and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) provide technical and financial support. Provincial agricultural and environmental offices will coordinate field deployment.
The project timeline spans three years (from 2026-2028). In 2026, efforts will focus on establishing baseline conditions and launching awareness campaigns. Field trials and capacity training will proceed throughout 2027-2028, with midterm and final evaluations assessing scalability. The project aims to deliver pilot implementation solutions across Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, alongside transnational awareness campaigns.
Planning workshops in Laos and Cambodia scheduled for later in 2026 will apply concepts similar to the Thailand workshop, adapting pilot approaches to national contexts. Laos will focus on burn-free forest management, while Cambodia will prioritise sustainable waste and residue management. A regional coordination workshop will eventually establish cross-country monitoring protocols and knowledge-exchange mechanisms to ensure coherence across the Greater Mekong Subregion.
SEACAI operates on €6 million euro co-financing, and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), implemented by GIZ in partnership with pollution control departments in participating countries. Running from 2025 to 2028, the project builds solutions with relevant agencies from both public and private sectors. Further Information: Southeast Asia Climate & Clean Air Initiative (SEACAI) – Thai-German Cooperation
