Thailand plans Beijing talks on water pollution, haze and scams
Thailand will advance cooperation on cross-border crime, water management and transboundary haze, while the Thailand-Cambodia situation will not be discussed at the meeting.
- Thailand's Foreign Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, will travel to Beijing from November 2-4 for the 11th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation ministerial meeting.
- During the meeting, Thailand will advance cooperation on urgent regional challenges, including combating cross-border crime (scams), managing water resources, and addressing transboundary haze.
- The Thai Foreign Minister will co-chair the meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, as part of the six-country forum.
Jaithai Upakarnitikaset, director-general of the Department of Information and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow will travel to Beijing, China, from November 2 to 4, 2026, to attend the 11th ministerial meeting under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation framework.
Representatives of all six member countries, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, will attend.
Sihasak will co-chair the meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The spokesperson explained that the meeting’s main objectives are to review progress under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation framework, consider future cooperation and prepare for the fifth Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting.
Thailand will use the forum to advance cooperation on urgent shared regional challenges, including combating cross-border crime, managing water resources and addressing transboundary haze.
It will also reaffirm its readiness to co-chair the fifth leaders’ meeting, which will be held in Guilin, in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, late this year.
The Thailand-Cambodia situation will not be discussed at the Mekong-Lancang meeting, and there will be no bilateral meeting between the two countries at the forum.
A suitable opportunity for talks will be sought later.
Thailand will focus on the issues it aims to advance and discuss with fellow members.
Sihasak will also attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) foreign ministers’ meeting, which will be held online on November 3.
