On November 8, 2024, H.E. Mrs. Kanchana Patarachoke, Ambassador of Thailand to Belgium, hosted a dinner for the Thai delegation visiting Brussels as part of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) study tour covering Denmark, Germany, and Belgium from November 4–8, 2024. The dinner was also attended by members of Team Thailand in Brussels, Mr. Reinhold Elges, Director of the German Development Agency (GIZ) Representation in Brussels, and his team member. Co-organized by GIZ Thailand and the Danish Government, this study visit aims to provide insights into the European Union’s regulatory framework and implementation on EPR legislation, along with the challenges involved. These insights will support Thailand’s efforts to develop an EPR legislation.

The delegation consisted of representatives from the relevant stakeholders including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Pollution Control Department) of Thailand, the Ministry of Interior, the Office of the Council of State, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Finance, the ASEAN Center for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD), the Environmental Research Institute of Chulalongkorn University (ERIC), the International College Burapha University, the Federation of Thai Industries, Thailand’s Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable Environment (TIPMSE), the Network of Organizations for Sustainable Packaging Management (PRO Thailand Network), the Public-Private Sector Cooperation Project for Sustainable Plastic and Waste Management (PPP Plastics), and representatives from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA), the Embassy of Denmark in Thailand, and GIZ Thailand.

The delegation intends to learn best practices from the European Union and Belgium's recycling organizations to adapt to Thailand’s context, specifically in relation to developing the draft Sustainable Packaging Management Act B.E. … Both Thai government bodies and the private sector, who are the key drivers in this effort, expressed strong commitment to moving the process forward. The Ambassador emphasized that sustainability lies at the heart of Thailand’s development policies and there is an urgent need to transform waste to resources and move on to future industries.

This visit builds on the 2023 workshop on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Thailand, organized by Thailand Mission to the EU and GIZ Thailand. Both parties will continue their collaboration by co-hosting another workshop on BCG Economy in Thailand, scheduled for May 2025.