On 24 July 2024, H.E. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, during the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting & Post Ministerial Conference (AMM/PMC) in Vientiane, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR jointly witnessed the presentation ceremony of 4.6 million baht financial support for the construction and equipment of the Agricultural Learning Centre of the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative, Houaphan Province, Lao PDR. In this regard, Mrs. Eksiri Pintaruchi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Royal Thai Government, presented the support to Mr. Savaythong Khounsavanh, President of the Vanmai Cooperative, whereas H.E. Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi, Ambassador of Thailand to the Lao PDR,  Lt. Gen Kongthong Phongvichith, Deputy Minister of Public Security of the Lao PDR, Mr. Viroth Sundara, Director General, Asia Pacific and Africa Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, Mr. David Frend, Officer-in-Charge, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Programme Office in Lao PDR, and representatives from related agencies were also in attendance at the presentation ceremony.

The Agricultural Learning Centre is a part of an alternative development project to cultivate coffee instead of opium poppies supported by UNODC, which would also be the future research and training site to promote sustainable career for local people and sustainable opium cultivation elimination, as well as supporting the Lao PDR’s national agenda of the prevention and control of narcotic drugs.