On 24 April 2026, Mrs. Chachsaran Lertkiattiwong, Director of International Development Cooperation Division, Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), co-chaired of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting on Capacity Building for Sports Science and Arts (Drug-Free School), together with Mr. Vilavan Bunsouktai, Director-General of the Department of Mass Sports, Physical and Art Education, Ministry of Education and Sports of the Lao PDR. The meeting included representatives from Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), and the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane, as well as relevant officials of the Department of Mass Sports, Physical and Art Education in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

The meeting aimed to review the progress of project implementation, summerise the outcomes achieved during the phase I, and deliberate on future directions and action plans for the phase II of the project, education and sports sector under the 2026 – 2028 Development Cooperation Plan between Thai – Lao PDR. It further aims to ensure the sustainability of drug prevention efforts within educational institutions in Lao PDR and to strengthen the effective management of pilot schools.

Following the conclusion of the meeting, the Director of International Development Cooperation Division, on behalf of the Thai side, presided over the official handover ceremony of the “Drug-Free School Teaching Manual” to the Department of Mass Sports, Physical and Art Education of Lao PDR. The manual is intended to serve as a principal resource for master teachers in fostering resilience and strengthening preventive measures against drug-related issues among youth in target schools.

The Capacity Building for Sports Science and Arts (Drug-Free School) project was an initiative under the Thailand–Lao PDR 3-Year Development Cooperation Programme (2023–2025) in the sector of education and sports. The primary objectives are to enhance teachers' knowledge and attitudes toward drug prevention, promote life skills development among youth, and strengthen school management approaches to ensure drug-free learning environments.