From 1 May 2025, new rules of entry to the Kingdom of Thailand for citizens of Turkmenistan will come into force. According to the updated requirements of the Migration Service of Thailand, all passengers, regardless of the purpose of travel, must fill out an electronic migration card. This is reported by the International Information Centre of Turkmenistan. According to Turkmenistan Airlines, the registration procedure is held in an online format through the official website of the Thai migration services. This innovation is aimed at speeding up passport control and simplifying the entry procedure for foreign guests. The airline's representatives strongly recommend passengers not to delay filling in the digital form and check-in well in advance of departure. This will avoid possible delays in border control at Thai airports.
In anticipation of the summer tourist season and the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, Turkmenistan will expand transport links to the Avaza National Tourist Zone. This was announced by Director General of the Agency of Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers Mammetkhan Chakyev at a government retreat, Turkmenistan State News Agency (TDH) wrote. As part of the preparations, it is planned to increase the number of railway flights on the route Ashgabat - Turkmenbashi - Ashgabat, as well as to launch regular bus routes: from Balkanabat International Airport to Turkmenbashi and from Turkmenbashi railway station to Avaza. Additionally, the frequency of flights to Balkanabat from Ashgabat, Dashoguz, Mary, Turkmenabat and Kerki will be increased. Special attention will be paid to the organisation of transportation of participants of the international forum. Having heard the report, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted the importance of proper logistics for comfortable stay of the conference guests.
On the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov signed a decree, according to which the khakimliks of velayats, cities and etraps must solemnly present monetary and valuable gifts to war veterans on behalf of the head of state. This is reported by the International Information Centre of Turkmenistan. As stated in the document, this measure is an expression of deep gratitude for the heroism shown by the participants of military operations and for the selfless labour of women and home front workers. It is also noted the significant role of veterans in educating the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism and cohesion.
The Exhibition Centre of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan has launched an exhibition of the famous Polish artist Joanna Galecka. This was reported by the Internet publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden Age’. It is not the first time the artist visits Turkmenistan, and each visit to the country ends with a new exposition of paintings. The current exhibition tells about the Turkmen spring and people of the country. When looking at her works, one can immediately realise that they were painted by a foreigner in love with Turkmenistan. Joanna Galecka works with pastels rather than oil paints, but each of her works looks like a colourful painting. At the grand opening of the exposition, artists from Turkmenistan highly appreciated the work of Joanna Galecka. It was noted that her works show love for Turkmen culture and nature. Joanna creates based on the first impression, not trying to finalise her drawings for too long. This is especially evident in the pastel technique, which implies a certain subtlety, as there is no opportunity to correct mistakes. Thanks to this, one can feel the lightness and freshness of perception in her paintings.
A professor from PETRONAS University of Technology (UTP) conducted an online training for students and teachers of the Yagshygeldi Kakaev International University of Oil and Gas. During the course on the topic “Oil and Gas Well Operation Technologies”, the participants familiarized themselves with modern hydrocarbon production methods and innovative solutions used in the industry. Upon completion of the course, all trainees will receive certificates from the Malaysian University. This is reported by the Internet publication “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. Cooperation between the Turkmen university, PETRONAS Charigali Company and PETRONAS University of Technology has been successfully developing for several years. Under the current Memorandum of Understanding, Malaysian specialists regularly conduct online courses for Turkmen students and young teachers on advanced technologies and digital solutions in the oil and gas sector. It is planned to expand the educational program in 2025. Professors of PETRONAS University of Technology will conduct a series of trainings that will cover such topical areas as modern oil and gas production technologies, industry economics, digital transformation of production processes, chemistry and processing of hydrocarbons, as well as environmental issues.
The Embassy of Turkmenistan in the United States organized a series of events in the states of Montana and Wyoming on April 28-29 this year, dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the country's permanent neutrality and the development of academic cooperation. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Consul of the Embassy S. Pirmukhammedov held talks with the leadership of three American universities: Montana State University (MSUB), Northwestern College (NWC) and the University of Wyoming. Meetings with MSUB Provost Stephanie Hixvoy, NWC President Lisa Watson and University of Wyoming representative Jill Johnson focused on prospects for cooperation in developing educational programs in business, medicine, agriculture, energy and other areas. Within the framework of the visit, presentations on “Turkmenistan's Permanent Neutrality: 30 Years of Peace and Diplomacy” were held, which aroused keen interest among teachers and students. Special attention was paid to meetings with Turkmen students studying in American universities. The events demonstrated mutual interest in strengthening academic ties between Turkmenistan and the United States.
On April 29, 2025, a cultural event aimed at strengthening friendship between Turkmenistan and Tajikistan was held at the secondary school No. 8 named after Makhtumkuli Fraghi, located in Dusti district of Khatlon region of the Republic of Tajikistan. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The initiative was realized with the assistance of the Union of Writers of Tajikistan, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Tajikistan, the school administration, as well as the Cultural Society of Tajik Turkmens. The meeting was attended by writers, poets, representatives of mass media, educational institutions, local authorities and students. The speeches emphasized the humanistic content of the poetry of Makhtumkuli, who sang the ideas of peace, justice and harmony. An exhibition demonstrating the richness of the artistic heritage of the Turkmen and Tajik peoples was organized as part of the event. The meeting was brightly concluded with the performance of the dance ensemble of the Cultural Society of Tajik Turkmens, which performed the traditional Turkmen dance Kushtdepdi, becoming the culmination of the cultural program.
The delegation of the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics of Turkmenistan paid a working visit to the West Saxony University of Applied Sciences Zwickau (Germany) from April 26 to May 3. During the visit, important meetings and events aimed at strengthening international cooperation in the educational sphere were held. This is reported by the Internet publication “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. The Turkmen representatives met with the leadership of the German university and discussed prospects for further partnership. Vice-rector of the Turkmen institute Kakabaya Hodzhanepesova delivered a lecture for students and teachers on the International Year of Peace and Trust. Familiarization with the laboratories of the University allowed the Turkmen delegation to assess modern scientific developments in the field of automotive, mechanical engineering and digital technologies. WHZ, located in the historical center of the German automotive industry, is known for close cooperation with industrial enterprises, including Volkswagen. This visit was an important step in the development of partnerships and exchange of experience between the educational institutions of the two countries.
From 28 April to 1 May 2025, a series of working meetings organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together with the State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan took place in Ashgabat. The events were held within the framework of a joint project aimed at strengthening the statistical and institutional capacity of the country, the IRC reports. The main focus was on the development of a financial account in accordance with the international standards of the System of National Accounts 2008 (SNA 2008). The discussions were attended by international consultant Peprone Margaryants, representatives of Turkmenstat, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, and other specialized agencies. The working meetings were part of the project “Assistance in the development of the financial account for the implementation of SNA 2008”, which is implemented by UNDP in cooperation with national partners. The aim of the initiative is to contribute to the improvement of the state statistical system and to enhance the quality of monitoring of economic and financial processes.
The International Scientific and Technological Park of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan has completed the development of a fundamentally new hydrophobic composite coating for building structures. The technology created under the guidance of candidate of technical sciences Meretmuhammet Khudaiberdiyev has already received patent protection. This is reported by the Internet edition “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. The innovation is based on a unique composite material combining porous synthetic matrix with sulfur polymer concrete. This provides a number of significant advantages over traditional solutions. The coating demonstrates high adhesion to various surfaces and increased mechanical strength, allowing to effectively solve the problems of external and internal waterproofing of structures. The performance characteristics of the development deserve special attention. The material shows resistance to aggressive media, which significantly expands the scope of its application. Time indicators of strength gain are reduced several times - instead of the standard 28 days the material reaches working characteristics in just a few days. An important aspect of the technology is its economic and environmental efficiency. The use of sulphur from natural gas processing creates additional opportunities for utilization of this by-product. Simplified installation and no need to combine with traditional concrete reduce labor costs during construction.
The first meeting of the Turkmen-Kyrgyz Commission on Transport, Transit and Logistics, held from April 28 to 30, 2025, was completed in Bishkek. Following the negotiations, the parties signed a Protocol that enshrines the agreements on the development of transit transportation and multimodal routes. This is reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Special attention was paid to cooperation in road, rail and water transport, including the effective use of opportunities of the International Sea Port of Turkmenbashi. Agreements were also reached to harmonize approaches in tariff policy. The next meeting of the Commission is scheduled to be held in 2026 on the territory of Turkmenistan, which emphasizes the long-term nature of bilateral cooperation.
The OSCE Center in Ashgabat hosted a two-day training course for trainers in media and information literacy. It was attended by representatives of the Turkmen media and agencies involved in the implementation of the National Action Plan on human rights in Turkmenistan for 2021–2025. This was reported by the news agency “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. The training was conducted by Deputy Director of the MediaNet International Journalism Center and Editor-in-Chief of Facktcheck.kz Duman Smakov (Kazakhstan), as well as co-founder of facktcheck.tj and media trainer Rustam Gulov (Tajikistan). The experts shared their methods of effectively conducting such trainings. Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Ambassador John McGregor noted that media literacy is a priority area of the organization's work, and this training is a continuation of previous initiatives to promote freedom of speech and media development in the country. The training participants were also presented with the OSCE report on the development of media literacy in the region. The event ended with the presentation of certificates to the course graduates.