Beijing, 18 November 2025 – Dr. Wang Chunfeng, Executive Director of the APFNet, met with a delegation led by Mr. Amnat Dusuthi, General Inspector of the Royal Forest Department (RFD) of Thailand, at the APFNet headquarters. Building on over a decade of successful cooperation across multiple fields, the two sides explored ways to further strengthen collaboration in scientific research, project implementation, capacity building, and regional platform engagement.

Dr. Wang welcomed the delegation, underscoring the value of their long-standing partnership. He reaffirmed APFNet’s commitment to promoting sustainable forest management and rehabilitation in the Asia-Pacific region through demonstration projects, capacity building, policy dialogue, and knowledge sharing. He also highlighted that APFNet’s forthcoming strategic plan for 2026–2030 will intensify efforts on climate change, biodiversity conservation, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

During the meeting, APFNet introduced its draft Fourth Strategic Plan (2026–2030), outlining key priorities such as forest landscape restoration, climate-resilient livelihoods, and the integration of digital tools in sustainable forestry. Mr. Preecha Ongprasert, Director of the Forestry Foreign Affairs Office of RFD, shared Thailand’s extensive expertise in forest management and restoration, drawing on over a century of institutional experience, and highlighted the outcomes of the APFNet-supported project “Strengthening Urban Forestry Demonstration Site of Bang Kachao (Thailand) for Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Learning Center.” He noted that the project has enhanced the ecological and social value of the Bang Kachao urban green space, known as the “green lung” of Bangkok, through improved native species diversity, strengthened community participation, and the development of nature-based education facilities, serving as a replicable model for urban forestry in the region. Additionally, the two sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest in international forestry and explored potential cooperation in the domains of forest research and development, regional project implementation, capacity building, and engagement in global and regional platforms.

(Group photo, left to right: Ms. Munkhzul Tsend-Ayush, APFNet; Dr. Preecha Ongprasert, Director of Forestry Foreign Affairs Office, RFD; Dr. Wang Chunfeng, Executive Director, APFNet; Mr. Am at Dusuthi, General Inspector, RFD, Mr. Director of Forest Resource Management Office No.12 (Nakhon Si Thammarat) , RFD. Photo by Ms. Long Chao)

The meeting served as a significant step to strengthen the longstanding partnership between APFNet and RFD. Through constructive and productive exchanges, both sides deepened their understanding of each other’s strategic priorities and recognized the value of combining Thailand’s expertise and best practices with APFNet’s regional networks and programs, thereby exploring new avenues for cooperation in sustainable forest management and rehabilitation across the Asia-Pacific region.
In closing, Dr. Wang Chunfeng thanked the RFD delegation for their thoughtful engagement. Both sides expressed their willingness to maintain the positive tone set by the discussions and to continue exploring concrete and mutually beneficial initiatives in the near future.

About the Royal Forest Department of Thailand
Established in 1896, the Royal Forest Department (RFD) is Thailand's pioneering forestry institution. Operating under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, RFD is responsible for managing forest resources outside protected areas, with key mandates in forest protection, restoration, sustainable management, and international cooperation.