The 40th SEAMEO SPAFA Governing Board Meeting was held on 2–3 September 2025 at the Laguna Grand Hotel & Spa in Songkhla, Thailand. Representatives from SEAMEO Member Countries gathered to review the Centre’s past achievements, current initiatives, and future programmes, ensuring that SEAMEO SPAFA continues to fulfil its mandate of advancing archaeology, the fine arts, and cultural heritage in Southeast Asia.
The opening day included formal addresses by SEAMEO SPAFA Centre Director Khemchat Thepchai, SEAMEO Secretariat Director Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, and the Governing Board Chair. The Governing Board elected Mr. Yeo Kirk Siang, Group Director of Policy and Community at Singapore’s National Heritage Board, to continue as Chair, having also served in this role during the 39th GBM in Suphan Buri, Thailand (2024).
Delegates engaged in substantive discussions on SPAFA’s programme activities and governance. On the second day, participants visited the Southern Folklore Museum and the Songkhla National Museum, exploring the cultural heritage that has made Songkhla’s historic landscape a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status.
The Governing Board adopted the official proceedings and concluded with closing remarks that underscored the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and collective action in safeguarding the region’s cultural heritage.
