Between 14 April and 10 August 2025, the Mahidol University Waste Management Team from the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, led by Professor Chettiyappan Visvanathan and Assistant Professor Nawatch Surinkul, with research associates Miss Humm Kham Zan Zan Aung and Miss Kanitthika Santhaweesuk, participated in the Partnership to Accelerate SDG Localization in Thailand, supported by UN-Habitat.

The Mahidol University team worked closely with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), represented by Mr. Srinivasa Popuri, Chief of Office, Mr. Riccardo Maroso, Programme Manager, Ms. Phannisa Nirattiwongsakorn, former National Programme Officer, Dr. Jutamas Kaewsuk, former SDG Localization Expert and Ms. Yada Ponchamni, Project Assistant. The collaboration focused on strengthening community-based waste management as a key component of Thailand’s SDG localization efforts.

As part of the project, the team conducted field visits to community waste banks in Udon Thani Province and Koh Samui, Surat Thani Province, and also collected information on good practices from community waste banks in Lopburi, Ratchaburi, Sukhothai, Uthai Thani, and Saraburi Provinces. The team engaged with local communities and stakeholders to assess operational practices, key challenges, and opportunities for improvement.

In addition, a consultation workshop, titled “Consultation Workshop on Strengthening the Implementation of Community Waste Bank Guidelines and Initiatives in Thailand – 2025,” was held on Wednesday, 2 July 2025, from 08:30 to 12:00 hrs. at the Amari Bangkok Hotel (Pratunam), Bangkok, and was conducted in Thai. It was organized to gather inputs from representatives of government agencies, the private sector, civil society, NGOs, academia, and international organizations, with the aim of developing practical recommendations to strengthen the implementation of community waste banks nationwide.

The findings from the field visits and stakeholder consultations were consolidated into a policy-oriented report entitled “Recommendations for Strengthening the Implementation of Community Waste Bank Guidelines and Initiatives in Thailand.” The report has been published and submitted to the Ministry of Interior and is publicly available at:

https://www.nachumsaeng-ud.go.th/index/add_file/YVkKnqZThu105909.pdf

The publication provides practical recommendations to support the nationwide strengthening of community waste banks, contributing to sustainable waste management and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Thailand.