Today (4 July 2025) at 9:30 a.m., Mr. Prasert Sirinapaporn, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), led the Thai delegation and chaired the 3rd Thailand–Russia Working Group Meeting on Environmental Protection, alongside Ms. Abidad Magamedowa, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation on Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation. The meeting was attended by representatives from MNRE-affiliated agencies and the head of the Russian delegation, held at The Athenee Hotel, Bangkok. During the meeting, both parties endorsed the 2025–2028 Activity Plan under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation. The plan encompasses key issues such as pollution control and environmental monitoring; forestry, wildfire prevention, and forest pest and disease management; waste management and the circular economy; biodiversity conservation and the protection of natural reserves; ecotourism and environmental education; and the protection of migratory birds along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.

The Thai delegation proposed several key cooperation projects, including a project on ecosystem protection, reforestation, and fire management in peat swamp forests, using community forests in Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces as case studies; a collaborative research and knowledge exchange project on forest pest and disease management; and a Thailand–Russia project to exchange knowledge and best practices on urban forest sustainability for climate change mitigation and ecosystem restoration. Meanwhile, the Russian side presented information on protected area management, hazardous waste management, and rare migratory bird population research to support international cooperation frameworks.

Additionally, both parties agreed to appoint coordinators for each area of cooperation to expedite the implementation of the 2025–2028 Activity Plan and ensure tangible outcomes. They also agreed to hold the next Working Group Meeting in the Russian Federation in 2027. This meeting marks another important milestone in strengthening Thailand–Russia cooperation on natural resources and environmental protection, promoting mutual exchange of knowledge, experiences, and technology between the two countries.