Under the directive of Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin, a landmark bilateral meeting took place in Chiang Mai — bringing together senior environmental officials from both Thailand and Myanmar to tackle one of the region's most persistent problems: transboundary haze.

Director-General of Thailand's Pollution Control Department Dr. Surin Worakitthamrong co-chaired the meeting alongside Director-General of Myanmar's Environmental Conservation Department Dr. San Oo, under the framework of the "Clear Sky Strategy (2024–2030).

Here's what came out of the meeting:

Myanmar reported a 12% reduction in hotspots in 2025 compared to the previous year, a promising sign. But both sides agreed that more needs to be done, particularly around air quality monitoring infrastructure and data systems.

Thailand offered concrete technical support to Myanmar, including:
• Developing a digital platform for transboundary haze and air quality reporting
• Sharing expertise on Air Quality Index (AQI) standards and national action plans
• Transferring knowledge on Fire Risk Mapping using hotspot-tracking technology

Thailand emphasized that sharing Big Data on air pollution between the two countries is the key to tackling haze more accurately and sustainably, ultimately returning clean air to people across the Mekong region.

For millions across the Mekong region, cleaner skies are no longer just a dream — they're a shared mission