Press Release

On Thursday, 14 August 2025, Yunus Thailand hosted the 1st Multi-Stakeholder Policy Dialogue on Seaweed Development at the Satun Provincial Hall, Mueang Satun District, Satun Province. The event brought together over 50 participants, including representatives from the Satun Provincial Governor’s office, local government agencies, private sector stakeholders, Global Seaweed Protect – Natural History Museum (UK), the University of Malaya (Malaysia), the University of Mataram (Indonesia), as well as local academic partners such as Prince of Songkla University, local educational institutions, and regional seaweed farmers and entrepreneurs.

The dialogue marked the first academic policy forum on seaweed development in Satun Province, focusing on the conservation and cultivation of Caulerpa seaweed (Latos), enhancing its economic value, and linking it to eco-tourism. The event aimed to promote sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, positioning Caulerpa seaweed as a key component of the Blue Economy with potential regional and international impact.

The event opened with remarks from Mr. Callum Mackenzie, Managing Director and Co-founder of Yunus Thailand, who emphasized the importance of a multi-stakeholder platform to exchange knowledge and foster collaboration among government, academia, private sectors, and local communities.

We warmly welcomed Mr. Thanapat Denburana, Chief of Satun Provincial Office, who highlighted Satun’s potential as Thailand’s southernmost province along the Andaman coast and its distinction as the country’s first UNESCO Global Geopark, attracting over 2 million visitors annually. He noted the opportunity to integrate Latos seaweed into local food and cultural tourism, supporting sustainable livelihoods for communities.

Dr. Juliet Brodie from the Natural History Museum, UK, emphasized the link between seaweed development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting challenges from climate change and the importance of building a resilient marine ecosystem to ensure long-term sustainability and biodiversity of seaweed.

Panel Session 1: Opportunities for Seaweed Industry Development in Satun

The first session, moderated by Nittayapond Nipatsant, Community Engagement Project Manager, Yunus Thailand, featured panel discussions on opportunities for the local seaweed industry.

- Mr. Teerapong Khumkeam, District Chief of La-ngu District, presented an overview of Caulerpa seaweed availability from January to May, highlighting contamination challenges from microorganisms and bacteria. He proposed registering Latos seaweed as a Geographical Indication (GI) to standardize quality and promote it as a key Green Economy product.

- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rapeeporn Ruangchuay, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, presented research from the Sustainable Thai Seaweed project, demonstrating that Caulerpa seaweed is easy to cultivate, low-cost, low-risk, and nutritionally rich, containing minerals, vitamin A, fucoxanthin, and antioxidants. Farmers received 50 test kits, and Dr. Rapeeporn noted that seaweed could be processed into beverages and cosmetics, though transportation and storage remain challenges, with drying yielding only 3–5% of the raw material.

- Dr. Poong Sze Wan, University of Malaya, Malaysia, discussed the ASEAN seaweed industry, highlighting its importance to regional economies, including ASEAN, China, Korea, and Japan. Dr. Sze Wan outlined challenges such as inconsistent pricing, unclear cultivation standards, and supply chain issues, and recommended collaboration in four areas: standardization and certification, public-private partnerships, genetic conservation via a BioBank, and knowledge exchange on cultivation and genetics.

- Prof. Juliet Brodie concluded the session with a global perspective on seaweed sustainability, referencing the 2010 Global Seaweed Conference (UK) and the 2017 establishment of Global Seaweed, emphasizing that Satun’s Latos seaweed project could serve as a model for local, regional, and global impact.

Panel Session 2: Developing a Sustainable and Inclusive Seaweed Industry in Satun

Moderated by Cassandra Dewi Sariganon, Project Lead for Social Business, Yunus Thailand, and Mr. Robert J. Mrowicki, Natural History Museum:

- Ms. Cassandra emphasized cultural and traditional values of seaweed, highlighting that 60% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for environmentally sustainable products, and thanked Satun Province for supporting connections between global seaweed organizations and local communities.

- Mr. Robert J. Mrowicki presented the 3-year Global Seaweed Protect project, focusing on integrated approaches in science, policy, and biosecurity, fostering international knowledge exchange and model development.

Open Discussion: Collaboration Framework for the Blue Economy

The second part of the event facilitated discussions on a collaboration framework to enhance the Blue Economy in Thailand:

- Asst. Prof. Dr. Suthinee Sinuth, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai Campus, outlined university support in five areas: climate adaptation for cultivation, nutritional and food value research, post-harvest preservation, environmental management and sustainable supply chains, and IoT-based water quality monitoring and cultivation tracking using drones and remote sensing.

- Chulabhorn Rajawittayalai School, Satun Province, shared experiences with IoT-enabled closed systems and bio-fertilizers, noting higher antioxidant content in cultivated seaweed and readiness to serve as a knowledge hub for community farmers.

- Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) discussed a Soft Power initiative to encourage innovation and research proposals for sustainable seaweed development.

- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Satun Province, expressed readiness to promote Latos seaweed through gastronomy tourism and participate in the “ Satun Seaweed Festival” organized by Yunus Thailand.

- Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya, Trang Campus, highlighted support for farmers through knowledge transfer, cultivation kits, and commercialization of seaweed products.

- Satun Provincial Commerce Office presented marketing strategies, including events and pursuing GI registration to protect local identity and quality.

- Local farmers noted that technical support from Prince of Songkla University improved cultivation practices, productivity, and potential.

- Satun Provincial Culture Office emphasized that Latos seaweed, previously harvested only from the wild, can now be cultivated, presenting an opportunity to promote it as a cultural and culinary symbol of the province.

We were honored by Mr. Sakra Kapilkan, Governor of Satun, who delivered closing remarks, appreciating the growth of Satun’s Blue Economy, community development efforts, and expressing enthusiasm for continued collaboration.

Mr. Callum Mackenzie and Dr. Juliet Brodie highlighted the historical significance of the dialogue, inspiring collaboration from local to international levels and establishing shared frameworks and indicators for the sustainable management and protection of Caulerpa seaweed.