Press Release

La-ngu, Satun, Thailand – 15 August 2025

Yunus Thailand, in partnership with Kasetsart University, convened the Satun Seaweed Stakeholder Forum and Caulerpa Workshops from 11–15 August 2025 in La-ngu, Satun. The event brought together the Global Seaweed Protect initiative, international experts from the Natural History Museum (United Kingdom), the University of Malaya (Malaysia), the University of Mataram (Indonesia), as well as local academic partners including Prince of Songkla University, local provincial and government agencies.

The workshops were joined by Seaweed experts; Dr. Juliet Brodie, Natural History Museum, London and Dr. Narongrit Muangmai from Kasetsart University, Dr. Phaik Eem Lim, University of Malaya, Malaysia and Dr. Eka Prasedya, University of University of Mataram, Indonesia along with other professors joined as the Global Seaweed Protect’s core team.

The workshops featured knowledge-sharing sessions on Caulerpa diversity and taxonomy by Dr. Stefano Draisma, and Cultivation Practices and Commercial Applications by Assoc. Prof. Rapeeporn Ruangchuay of Prince of Songkla University, Pattani.Participants also engaged in field activities, including a visit to Wasina Farm, where they observed organic Caulerpa farming, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, sporing techniques for seaweed starter cultivation, and sustainable practices in fertilizer development and production. The program further included site visits to wild Caulerpa sites.

Community engagement was a central focus of the program. Participants visited the Bochedluk Entrepreneur Community, where observations on the seawater filtration, fertilizer application methods, cultivation techniques, and value-added product development were demonstrated. At the Gabang Community, discussions centered on natural water sources, alternative water treatment techniques, and the conservation of wild seaweed populations. The Tutaerum Entrepreneur Community hosted workshops on seaweed trimming techniques and showcase entrepreneur data collection, while district-level engagement with the Department of Fisheries, La-ngu highlighted strategies for community involvement in sustainable cultivation.

Yunus Thailand Seaweed Social Business team also shared the introduction of the SOP Booklet for Community Seaweed, followed by focus group discussions with representatives from 3 local communities at the Paknam Sub-District Administration Office. These dialogues provided a platform for sharing practical experiences, identifying challenges, sharing knowledge between international experts and local communities and co-developing solutions for scaling sustainable seaweed cultivation in Satun, along with Thai-English interpretation to enhance the understanding between all audiences.

A key highlight of the five-day program was the first Multi-Stakeholder Policy Dialogue on Seaweed Development in Satun Province, held on Thursday, 14 August 2025, at the Satun Provincial Hall. The dialogue brought together diverse stakeholders, including the Governor of Satun, representatives from the provincial agricultural and fishery departments, the provincial commerce office, local institutions, NGOs, and seaweed entrepreneurs.

Participants shared knowledge, discussed ongoing initiatives, and explored key actions to strengthen the future of seaweed development in the province and potential of growth in ASEAN and Global context. This marks the first dialogue underscoring the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in shaping seaweed policy frameworks and advancing sustainable practices in the blue economy sector.

The initiative reflects Yunus Thailand’s commitment to advancing social business innovation in the blue economy. By fostering international partnerships and building local capacity, Yunus Thailand aims to ensure the sustainable management of marine resources while enabling coastal communities to develop resilient and inclusive livelihoods.