Ep 5: Collaboration on Sustainable Forestry and Forestry Innovation

          On 1 September 2023, Ambassador Arunrung Phothong Humphreys and the Thai representatives from the government, academia, and the private sector participating in Thailand’s forest infrastructure met with representatives from the government sector involved in Sweden’s sustainable forestry and timber building construction.

          The session started with a briefing by Mr. Paul Westin, Senior Business Developer of the Swedish Energy Agency, about the government’s energy policy designed to protect the environment, as well as possible collaborations with Thailand.

          The second session featured a presentation by Mr. Anders Malmer, International Coordinator of the Swedish Forest Agency (SFA), and Mr. Johan Eriksson, Deputy Chief of the Forest Department, management group of SFA, on Sweden’s history of developing a sustainable forest management system.

          Ms. Ulrika Stenkula, Co-founder of Gaia Arkitektur also shared her experiences about the company’s projects focusing on wooden building design and interiors. This was followed by a briefing from Ms. Susanne Rudenstam, Managing Director of the Swedish Wood Building Council, about policies and guidelines to promote the use of wood in construction in Sweden.

          In the afternoon, the delegation gathered at the Royal Thai Embassy to discuss and exchange views on how to push forward concrete collaborations among Thai stakeholders to promote the use of the timber construction model as a driving force to achieve sustainable forestry in Thailand.