CHIANG MAI : Participants at the second Asia-Pacific Water Summit are expected to adopt a Chiang Mai Declaration on technical, academic and financial cooperation and support in water management projects, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said Saturday.
He said leaders and delegates of the countries attending the summit will meet Sunday and Monday to discuss the results of technical workshops held during the past five days.
The Water Summit began on Tuesday, with around 1,300 participants attending forums and seminars on water management. However, most heads of state are expected to arrive Sunday and will give statements during the Leaders' Forum Monday. The conference concludes Monday. The first water summit was held in Japan in 2007.
Mr Plodprasop, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Committee (WFMC), said preparations for the Leaders Forum were now complete.
He said that during the forum, each country leader would speak about their policies on water management before reaching a conclusion on what should be done to benefit countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The conclusion will then be adopted as the Chiang Mai Declaration, which will outline a framework for cooperation between countries in the region. The areas of cooperation will include academic collaboration, financial assistance and technology transfers, Mr Plodprasop said.
He said a meeting would be held on the sidelines of the summit to showcase Thailand's vision on water management.
Meanwhile, Somkiat Khuenchiangsa, a coordinator of the Network of Northern River Basins, said local activists will also hold a parallel meeting in Chiang Mai to discuss alternative measures to tackle floods and water shortage problems.
The result of the meeting will be presented to the government to incorporate their suggestions into its 350-billion-baht water management scheme to ensure it does not adversely affect the environment or the lives of people living in affected areas.