On 25 May 2026, the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), organized the Project Launch and 1st Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting for the project entitled “Sustainable Biochar Production for Arsenic Removal from Water: Capacity Building in the Mekong Region (BiochAR)”, supported by the Mekong–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF). The event was held at Room M506, MTEC Building, Thailand Science Park, with online participation available via Webex Meeting.
The project opening ceremony was honored by Dr. Toemsak Srikhirin, Executive Director of MTEC, who presided over the ceremony and delivered the welcome and opening remarks. The ceremony also featured congratulatory remarks from Ms. Jinjoo Kang, First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand, and Mr. Madhurjya Dutta, Director of the Mekong–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund. The event was attended by members of the Project Advisory Committee, representatives from partner organizations, researchers, project team members, and participants joining both onsite and online.
In his welcome and opening remarks, Dr. Toemsak extended MTEC’s sincere appreciation to MKCF for its generous support, which has enabled the implementation of this important initiative. He further highlighted the significance of close collaboration among participating institutions, experts, and partners across the Mekong region in driving the BiochAR project forward and ensuring its successful outcomes.
The BiochAR project reflects a shared commitment to addressing critical environmental and public health challenges through science, technology, innovation, and regional cooperation. By transforming locally available agricultural residues into engineered biochar for arsenic removal from water, the project aims to improve water quality, enhance community well-being, promote sustainable biomass utilization, and contribute to greenhouse gas emission reduction.
Beyond research and development, the project also places strong emphasis on pilot-scale implementation, technology transfer, and capacity building. These key components are intended to ensure that the developed solutions can be practically applied and sustainably adopted by local communities in the Mekong region.
Following the launch ceremony, the 1st PAC Meeting was convened to provide guidance for the successful implementation of the project in line with its objectives and expected outcomes. The meeting included remarks by the PAC co-chairs representing the Project Implementing Agency and MKCF, followed by the introduction of PAC members, the project team, and project partners.
The project team also presented an overview of the BiochAR project, covering its background, objectives, regional relevance, theory of change, key activities, outputs, outcomes, monitoring and evaluation framework, work plan, project budget, and the roles of project partners. A baseline presentation was also delivered, followed by a Q&A and discussion session, during which PAC members and participants exchanged views and provided recommendations to support effective project implementation.
The launch of the BiochAR project marks an important milestone in strengthening regional cooperation between MTEC, NSTDA, MKCF, and partners in the Mekong region. With the collective expertise, commitment, and strong partnership of all parties, the project is expected to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development and environmental resilience in the region.
