The Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA), in collaboration with cement manufacturers, Saraburi Province, government agencies, private sector partners, and civil society, has marked the one-year anniversary of Saraburi Sandbox, Thailand’s first low-carbon city initiative. The project aims to drive clean energy transition, green industry promotion, and carbon value creation, supported by international cooperation, advanced technologies, and green financing.
Saraburi Sandbox is a multi-stakeholder initiative led by Saraburi Province, TCMA, and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) Saraburi Provincial Chapter, using a Public-Private-People Partnership (PPP) approach. Under the leadership of the Governor of Saraburi, the initiative fosters collaboration among the government sector, private enterprises, civil society, and industries to implement pilot CO₂ reduction projects across multiple sectors.
Since its joint declaration of commitment on 15 August 2023, the project has made tangible progress across five key focus areas:
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Clean energy transition
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Green industry promotion
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Waste-to-value solutions
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Low-carbon agriculture
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Green space expansion
Efforts are ongoing, with continued collaboration across all sectors and a focus on securing additional green funding to achieve a carbon reduction target of 5 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2027.
A Collaborative Approach to Sustainability
Saraburi Governor Bancha Chaowarin emphasised the project’s collaborative approach, outlining four guiding principles:
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Immediate action
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Trial-and-error flexibility
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Respectful dialogue and consensus-building
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Maintaining a positive working atmosphere
He affirmed Saraburi’s readiness to serve as a living laboratory for new technologies and innovations. The project aims to replicate successful models across Thailand to drive measurable greenhouse gas reductions while delivering economic and social benefits to local communities. The next phase will require continued cooperation and policy support from the government to align with Thailand’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
The Cement Industry’s Role in Carbon Reduction
Dr Chana Poomee, Chairman of TCMA and Vice Chairman of FTI, highlighted the pivotal role of the cement industry in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in alignment with the Thailand 2050 Net Zero Cement and Concrete Roadmap.
TCMA’s contributions to Saraburi Sandbox include:
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Optimising cement production processes to reduce emissions
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Fostering collaboration among stakeholders
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Seeking green funding and international partnerships to accelerate sustainable development
Over the past year, the cement industry has made significant progress in four areas:
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Industrial Process and Product Use (IPPU): Research and development of clinker substitution using nanotechnology to enhance cement properties. Hydraulic cement adoption could reduce CO₂ emissions by over 1 million tonnes between 2023 and 2024.
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Green and Smart Mining: Enhancing resource efficiency while implementing sustainable land rehabilitation to benefit local communities.
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Clean Energy Transition: Implementing waste heat recovery (WHR) systems, increasing the use of renewable energy (solar power, biomass, and refuse-derived fuel or RDF) to replace coal in cement kilns. These measures could cut carbon emissions by 9-12 million tonnes per year while reducing PM2.5 pollution from agricultural burning and generating income for farmers.
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Carbon Value Creation: Exploring CO₂-to-Methanol conversion and carbon capture technologies. Notably, Saraburi Sandbox has become Thailand’s first industrial cluster to be accepted into the Transitioning Industrial Clusters Initiative of the World Economic Forum.
The Road Ahead: Strengthening Global Collaboration
While significant progress has been made, Dr Chana stressed that establishing a low-carbon city requires innovative approaches, strong leadership, and global collaboration. Future efforts will focus on:
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Strengthening partnerships with global organisations such as the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and German International Cooperation Organization (GIZ).
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Scaling up energy transition projects and carbon capture technologies (CCUS).
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Securing policy support to facilitate technological integration, knowledge sharing, and green financing.
Saraburi Sandbox: A Model for Thailand’s Green Future
PULLOUT OR CAPTION: The "Saraburi Sandbox: Joining Forces to Create Thailand’s First Low-Carbon City" event took place on 22 January 2025, at the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy (NKRAFA) in Muak Lek, Saraburi Province. The event aimed to raise public awareness, extract key lessons from the past year, and shape future strategies through multi-sector collaboration. With over 700 attendees from diverse sectors, the initiative continues to drive Thailand’s green transformation towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.
