Thailand

How are decisions about water resources development made? This question is prompted by the continuing global interest in the final report from the World Commission on Dams (WCD), released in 2000, which offered seven strategic priorities as a framework to aid decision-making about large dams and other types of water resources development.

This publication presents the findings of one of six topics covered by the Tai Baan research in the Lower Songkhram River Basin. The research was conducted by 240 people from four villages in the area between May 2003 and April 2005, and demonstrates the depth of knowledge held by the local people.

The tsunamis of Sunday 26 December 2004 struck without apparent warning on a clear day. Not only was there a devastating loss of life, but coastal resources and infrastructure in the Indian Ocean suffered massive destruction as well. This book focuses on the impacts on the natural coastal resources, especially the coral reefs and associated ecosystems, and the responses by the international community.

The decade from 1966 to 1976 was a tumultuous time in the history of the Lower Mekong Basin, with three of the four countries at war. Remarkably, this was also a time of major planning for developing the agricultural production systems of the region. This publication describes the pioneering work done in that decade under the auspices of the Committee for the Coordination of Investigations in the Lower Mekong Basin, otherwise known as the Mekong Committee.

These studies investigate the role of protected areas in supporting local socio economic development in selected regions of each country. They are designed to assist policy-makers and planners by demonstrating that protected areas are productive economic assets and that there is a need for appropriately managing them in order to realize the greatest benefits for the community.

Thematic lesson papers are intended to bring global lessons and best practice to the region and to help define the agenda for detailed consultation and reform in the four lower Mekong River countries.

These lessons papers are the result of assessment and debate carried out through background papers and national round table meetings involving all key sectors and levels of government. They provided the basis for the more detailed work in each country by inter agency PAD core groups on the national reports.