A high-ranking delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has today begun a three-day visit to the Kingdom of Thailand, led by the FAO Director-General, Dr QU Dongyu.

During this Official visit, the Director-General and delegation will pay courtesy calls on the Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, and also the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thamanat Prompao.

Qu’s delegation, visiting from FAO headquarters in Rome, is travelling to a number of important sites, in and around the Thai capital, involving the Kingdom’s food systems transformation. Qu is joined by his Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Jong-Jin Kim. FAO’s Chief Economist, Maximo Torero has also joined the delegation.

Thailand and FAO – a long and strong relationship, helping to feed a hungry world.

The Kingdom of Thailand, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, have enjoyed a long and productive relationship. As a Member Nation of FAO, Thailand has also been hosting the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in the Thai capital Bangkok since 1953.

“This visit to Thailand by the FAO Director-General, Dr QU Dongyu, is highly emblematic of the continuing and strengthening relationship between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),” said Kim.

During their Mission to Thailand, the FAO delegation will visit a number of important sites, including Bang Kachao, known locally as Bangkok’s ‘green lung’, due to its location within the bustling city and its thriving mangrove ecosystem. The initiative is supported by the Royal Forestry Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Also planned are visits to Talaad Thai Market, the largest food wholesale operation in Southeast Asia, and also to the government’s Department of Fisheries’ Monitoring Centre, where vessels are tracked using latest technology and innovation as part of Thailand’s contribution in support of the ‘Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing’. Thailand is a party to the PSMA.  

Among other highlights, the delegation will visit the government’s Land Development Department, steward of the Soil Museum, and advances in soil technology. The commitment of Thailand to aid and collaborate with other countries in advancing sustainable soil management led to the establishment of the Center of Excellence for Soil Research in Asia (CESRA) under the Asian Soil Partnership in 2019. The Land Development Department, within the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, has invested significant efforts in CESRA's operation, and FAO has provided continuous support, both technically and financially.

The delegation will also visit an FAO Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance, at the city’s Chulalongkorn University. FAO’s work with counterparts at the FAO Reference Centre and its laboratory is helping Thailand and the region deal with the growing problem of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR).