Integrating Dutch innovation for sustainable water management in Greater Bangkok
A new Dutch public-private partnership has been established under the Partners for International Business (PIB) programme to strengthen the long-term partnership between Thailand and the Netherlands in the water sector, leveraging Dutch expertise and technology to address critical water management challenges. Over the next three years, the PIB Sustainable Water Management Greater Bangkok seeks to facilitate knowledge exchange, foster collaboration, and implement innovative solutions that will improve water management in Greater Bangkok.
Driving collaboration
Hans van den Born, Executive Director at the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce and PIB coordinator, shared insights into the initiative's objectives and his motivations behind this partnership. “The idea for this PIB emerged from conversations with Dutch companies in Thailand. Many Dutch companies struggled to navigate the complex network of local agencies and find the right contacts,” Van den Born explained. “This frustration was echoed at a trade show in 2023, and I realised that we, as a Chamber of Commerce, could play a role in facilitating these connections. The PIB was born out of this need for better collaboration.”
In line with fostering collaboration, a Thai delegation from the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) and Chulalongkorn University (CU) recently visited the Netherlands as part of the PIB initiative. This visit included a guided tour of Aquatech Amsterdam 2025, where they explored innovative Dutch water management solutions, exchange knowledge with Dutch experts, and strengthen bilateral ties in the water sector.
Van den Born believes that such visits are crucial for deepening the knowledge exchange and setting the stage for successful collaborations. "The PIB partnership is about much more than just exporting Dutch products," he said. "It’s about learning, understanding local needs, and collaborating on solutions. Our approach is not to sell services but to work together, identify key issues, and find solutions that benefit both Thai stakeholders and Dutch companies.”
Bridging expertise
One of the core elements of the initiative is knowledge-to-knowledge (K2K) exchange. According to Van den Born, this component will be central to the programme’s success. “We’re not just providing technologies; we are also facilitating a deep exchange of expertise. We want to create a network of experts who can share their insights, whether it's on managing floods, creating nature-based solutions, or deploying digital technologies," he said.
Van den Born highlighted that K2K initiatives will include workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and field visits to ensure both nations can learn from each other’s experiences and expertise. This will help tailor Dutch innovations to the specific needs and challenges in Thailand.
Future prospects
Looking ahead, Van den Born is optimistic about the potential impact of the public-private partnership’s work. “In the first year, we’ll focus on gathering insights and fostering collaboration through events and knowledge exchange. By the second year, we plan to organise a learning week in the Netherlands for Thai stakeholders, offering seminars, and field trips to water management sites. By the third year, we aim to implement several co-created pilot projects based and solidify Dutch expertise in the Thai water sector.”
A key objective is to generate significant economic impact for the Dutch water sector. Over the course of the three-year partnership, the initiative is expected to contribute approximately €10 million in revenue for Dutch companies through enhanced market access and the successful implementation of pilot projects.
PIB Sustainable Water Management Greater Bangkok
The public-private partnership is part of the Partners for International Business programme, which enables Dutch businesses to collaborate with the Dutch government to realise international ambitions. The PIB Sustainable Water Management Greater Bangkok was officially launched last February by H.E. Mr. Remco Van Wijngaarden, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Thailand. The signing ceremony was attended by notable figures, including Dr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, Mr. Fabrizio Zarcone, Country Manager of Thailand at The World Bank, and representatives from Thailand's national water agencies.
Dutch companies and institutions driving the PIB partnerships include Bosman Watermanagement, Defacto Urbanism, Delta Context, Hydrosat, MetaMeta, Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce (coordinator), Netherlands Enterprise Agency, ROwat Water Control, Royal HaskoningDHV, and WaveSafe. Together, they will work alongside Thai stakeholders to explore a range of collaborative solutions, including integrated water management, flood risk management, nature-based solutions, smart agriculture, and advanced water technologies.
The public-private partnership represents a new chapter in Dutch-Thai cooperation, with the promise of building lasting partnerships that will benefit both countries. For more information and future collaboration opportunities, email Hans van den Born, PIB coordinator at the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce.
