OPENING STATEMENT By Mr. Preecha Rengsomboonsuk Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Kingdom of Thailand Representatives of forum organizers, partners and sponsors; distinguished participants; ladies and gentlemen: First of all, on behalf of the Royal Thai Government, I wish to extend a warm welcome to fellow delegates from the various countries to the Asia Regional Forum on Biodiversity, held in Cha-am, Phetchaburi Province. As the Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Thailand has obligations to achieve the Convention’s objectives, namely the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, as the national focal point (NFP) for the Convention has implanted various actions, projects and initiatives related to biodiversity study, conservation and sustainable use, including the establishment of the National Committee on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, to be national institutional mechanisms in order to effectively implement the policies and measures on biological diversity. Moreover, Thailand has set up the Environmental Funds, which supported 32 biodiversity projects implemented by local communities and NGOs from 1994 to 2010. The Cabinet has approved the budget for related governmental institutions to implement biodiversity strategies and action plans. Furthermore, Thailand will formulate and draft its new National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) in 2011, and the new NBSAP will be implemented during the years 2013-2017. Thailand will also integrate biodiversity strategies into the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2012-2016). This decade of 2011-2020, as declared by the UN as the International Decade of Biodiversity, relevant agencies and organizations are participating in the celebration, in particular in education and public awareness activities, regarding the importance and value of biodiversity and ecosystem services. As Thailand is known as the “Kitchen of the World” and the “Land of Agriculture”, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment emphasizes both ex-situ and in-situ conservation for agriculture. You can find more than 200 varieties of rice in paddy fields just in one province. The promotion of organic fertilizers is one of our priorities not only for well-being of the farmers but also to generate more income for rural and local communities in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals 1 and 7. Mr. Preecha Rengsomboonsuk Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Kingdom of Thailand xviii THE ASIA REGIONAL FORUM ON BIODIVERSITY
In Celebration of His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 84th Birthday Anniversary
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