Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul led the ceremony, along with Deputy Ministers Songsak Thongsri, Sabida Thaiset, and Thirat Samretwanich, as well as Permanent Secretary Suttipong Juljarern. Marisa Panyachiva, Senior Coordination Officer for Development at the UN Office in Thailand, also attended.
Phuket Vice Governor Norasak Suksomboon accepted the award on behalf of the province.
In the National Outstanding Local Volunteer for the World 2024 Awards, Kanyaphat Chananarong, a local volunteer from Phuket City Municipality, was the first runner-up in the ‘Young Children’ category, while another volunteer, Pannaporn Kanchanalekha, placed third.
In the ‘General’ category, Nujree Saman, a volunteer for the Earth Conservation Project at Cheng Talay Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor), won third place.
Interior Minister Anutin expressed his satisfaction with all the recipients of the awards, emphasising the importance of community waste management, which has long been a priority for the Ministry of Interior.
He highlighted that waste management is a critical issue affecting the environment, public health, and well-being, requiring collaboration from all sectors, including citizens.
This year’s contest aimed to identify provinces with exceptional community waste management practices to serve as models for sustainable waste management across the country, he said.