On 1 May 2026, H.E. Ms. Arjaree Sriratanaban, Ambassador of Thailand to Australia, visited the Healthy Environments and Lives Global Research Centre (HEAL) at the University of Canberra, to discuss potential collaboration related to the issues of haze pollution and health. She was welcomed by Professor Sotiris Vardoulakis, Director of the HEAL Network.

During the visit, the Ambassador was briefed on the progress of collaborative research regarding haze and air quality under the CANBREATHE (Climate Attribution of Wildfire Smoke Impacts on Priority Population Health in Southeast Asia and Australia) and HEAL-HAZE projects. These initiatives are joint efforts between Australia and countries in Southeast Asian, including Thailand. By utilising scientific modelling, the projects focus on analysing the links between wildfires, climate change and their health impacts on vulnerable populations to support effective risk assessments and formulation of policy measures. Both sides also exchanged views on opportunities to further strengthen and expand their collaboration in the future.

The HEAL Network was established in 2022 with support from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) under the objective to integrate expertise across various fields, such as environmental science, epidemiology and public health policy, to address the health impacts of climate change and air pollution. The network plays a pivotal role in providing evidence-based research to support the Australian Government’s policy-making through collaboration with government agencies, research institutions and international partners.