Thailand Experience and Best Practices

1. Thailand Experience and Best Practices by Ms. Pakawan Chufamanee Director of Mekong Affairs Division, Bureau of International Cooperation, Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand

2. Needs for IWRM • Adapted Integrated Water Resources Management to national and river basin; • Guideline on Water Resources Management from the 10th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2007 – 2011) - Watershed forests rehabilitated - Water resources development - Flood prevention - Waste water control and mitigation - Increasing water resources management efficiency

3. Lessoned learned in establishing IWRM • IWRM is required mechanism, tools and process • Capacity building and strengthening of participants • Different background and knowledge of RBC members • Required strong leader/adviser • Realistic projects are required present to public and government organization/local administrations • Needs public concern, participation and acceptation

4. Obstruction of Water Resources Management in Thailand Policy and plan: no unity, plan and practical action Institutional structure: existing institution structure in not different in the past Related to water laws: variety of water laws, lacking of unity Database and knowledge base on water resources management: scattered information in various agencies, variety of information, lacking of linkage and skillful personnel

5. National Water Policies Cabinet’s Resolution on 31 October 2000 • To push for the enactment of Water Resources Act • To establish national, river basin and local organization for water resources management • To emphasize appropriate and equitable water allocation • To give clear directives for provision of water • To equitably provide and develop water resources for agriculture

6. National Water Policies (con’t) 6) To develop and include water knowledge in the curricula of every educational level 7) To support and promote public participation 8) To accelerate the planning of flood and drought relief and solutions 9) To provide budget for action plan

7. Important IWRM priority activities On 21 May 2007, the Royal Thai Government has declared “Water” as the national agenda: • Water shortage • Flood mitigation • Water pollution • Water resources management

8. Cabinet NWRC Dept. Disaster Prevention Mitigation Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Ministry of agricultural RBC Meteorology Dept. Royal Irrigation Dept. Dept. Groundwater Resource Dept. Water Resources Dept. Pollution Control Province Working Group Dept. Land Development Regional Office 1-10 Regional Office 1-12 Dept. Industrial Work District Working Group Regional Office 1-16 PWA. / MWA Provincial office 1-75 Sub district Working Group Irrigation Project EGAT Public Work City Planning Sub district tech. transfer centre Village working Group Symbol To control To co-operation Marine Dept. Etc.

9. Responsibilities for the implementation of IWRM • NWRC is a national level organization, chairperson : Prime Minister • Many agencies involve in water resources management • DWR is the key agency to coordinate and cooperate with relevance agencies • Regional DWR office act as the secretariat office of RBC

10. Best Practices • Establishment of RBC in main river basins, set up network since 2004, existing more than 450 networks • Development of mechanism for participation • Strengthening of personnel working on water resources management locally • Water crisis operation center • Survey and installation of telemetry system • Research on water resources management • Local wisdom for water resources management • Database development