GNH Activities

Dear everyone,

Still a very Happy New Year from GNH Team, Thailand. Hope you have not forgotten about us.

I am not sure whether this will work but I attached announcements of two GNH activities in Bangkok.

27-30 Dasho Karma Ura and Ron Colman will be in Bangkok for a workshop.

And 29 January 13.00-17.00 they will give public presentations at SASIN Business School, Chulalongkorn University. Admission free. Please spread the news in your network.

Our aim is that the workshop will lead to the next step in long term planning in line with the Mekong region network meeting in Rayong. In February we expect more GNH planning during the postponed ASEAN People's Forum.

Let me know if you need more information. Later, 5th February, Roger Torrenti (France) will present the results of the Paradiso project (see website address in the attachment). Also our comments to the Paradiso Reference Document in line with the discussions on Youth employment during GNH3. Please join this presentation (free) and discussion if you are in Bangkok that day.

Best regards from busy team,
Hans

ASEAN Youths’ Preparatory Meeting for the ASEAN People Forum

Where: Garden of Fruition (Suan Nguen Mee Ma), Bangkok
When: 16-19 February, 2009

The three-day preparatory youths’ forum will be held from 16-19-11 February 2009 at Garden of Fruition, Bangkok to prepare young people from ASEAN countries for their participation at the ASEAN People Forum, to be held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok from 20-22 February 2009.

The forum will be co-organized by ActionAid Thailand ,Thai Volunteer Service and RRAFA, where approximately 45 youths from ASEAN countries will participate and play an important role in the preparatory regional meeting. During a three day preparatory meeting, participating young people will have an opportunity to build their knowledge and understanding on ASEAN and its mechanisms (ASAEN Charter and three principal (political, economic and social) pillars) as a regional body that plays important role in the region. They will also have an opportunity to prepare for their participation at the ASEAN People Forum.

The objectives of Young People’s Participation at the ASEAN Youths’ Preparatory Regional Meeting are:

• To provide an opportunity for young people to share their experiences, good practices and models of successful youth led interventions in the region specifically related to key challenges faced by ASEAN people such as the food crisis, human rights and peace, energy and environmental crisis (natural resources management) and people participation

• To contribute to the formulation of measurable advocacy targets (specific targets/goals with indicators) for the governments at the regional level and ASEAN and present their recommendations at the ASEAN People Forum

• To establish preparation processes leading up to the ASEAN People Forum and to select youth representatives to meet with ASEAN leaders in a meeting in Chiang Mai

• To ensure follow-up mechanisms (in terms of sharing of outcomes/implementation of the recommendations of the Preparatory Meeting and the ASEAN People Forum) with wider groups of young people in the region, and to see follow up institutionalized in relevant organizations, youth network and projects in the region

• To promote the participation of young people, especially young women, in the governance of ASEAN and strengthen the institutionalization of meaningful participation of young people within civil society

APF Youth Network

Hear the Voices of ASEAN Youth

Supaporn Chonnapataweep
Youth representative
APF/ASEAN Youth Network

APF/ASEAN Youth Network is the network of young people from ASEAN countries, particularly from the Greater Mekong Sub-region which is coordinated by Action Aid Thailand ,Thai Volunteer Service(TVS), RRAFA and Youth for Local Wisdom Network. The involvement is about 50 of young people from local community and urban area. Although we are from different countries and have different background but we do have something in common. We believe in youth power and when we go together is making this world were the better place.

The objective of ASEAN youth network are to provide an opportunity for young people to share their experiences, good practice and model of successful youth led interventions in the region especially related to key challenges faced by ASEAN people such as the food crisis, human right and peace, energy and environmental crisis (natural resources management) and people participation

Secondly is, to contribute to the formulation of measurable advocacy targets for the governments at the regional level and ASEAN and present their recommendation to the ASEAN leaders

Thirdly is, to promote the participation of young people, especially young women , in the governance of ASEAN and strengthen meaningful participation of young people within civil society

Last 2 month, I attended to Mekong Youth Camp for Social Development. This is the activity that held for Network of young people as a platform to share experiences and common concerns particularly on the food and energy crisis including peace, globalization, GNH movement and also discuss about the ASEAN Charter and the three pillars.

During the camp, after we reviewed ASEAN charter was having some concern about the charter as ASEAN is going to promote a people-oriented ASEAN in which all sectors of society are encouraged to participate in. The question is ‘how to promote the participation and taken seriously from every sector…what’s about marginalized people, ethnic minority, urban poor or rural community?

ASEAN countries have a lot of diversity so the key that challenge the engagement is how to make the meaningful participation of the people in every sectors especially poor people who really face the problem. How would ASEAN do to get the voice from them?

However, we appreciate the improvement of ASEAN that you have an establishment of Senior Ministerial Meeting on youth, that’s the good initiate, but we still concern that it may not yet reach all the group of youth such as poor youth in rural area who couldn’t easily access to the information or someone who not capable to speak English so this must be very challenging to make the meaningful participation from all of us.

Youth and children are often treating as the second to adult although we are the right holder ourselves. We have been regarded as the next generation, the future but we don’t have to wait that long, we can start now so our recommendation is to create concrete mechanism to ensure the participation of youth especially the poor people and the Implementation of ASEAN which will have effect on people should ask for the agreement of people in every sectors.

Due to the financial crisis, it may causes social issue such as the unemployment crisis which would worsen the food situation in region so it would be very helpful to create concrete measures to cope the crisis and implement the social protection policy to guarantee the employment and recent living wage.

The issue in our community is not one’s responsibility, these happen from all of us and effect to everyone so we should solve the problem together and you should develop youth capability to joint activities among youth in ASEAN country, so we can share our experiences and be the co-worker to develop our region together ‘cause the sustainable growth is from the power of unity.

Youth March for Peace

International youth conference stages event in Siem Reap

The Phnom Penh Post
September 25, 2008

MORE than 300 students from around the world who had gathered in Siem Reap for a six-day International Peace Conference marched peacefully through the streets of Siem Reab last Sunday, the International Day of Peace.


The students were given permission to march by officials last Friday, and, awhile there was a large contingent of police stationed along the route, the march was trouble-free, a colourful parade that attracted large crowds of onlookers at several vantage points.

The event was organized by Youth for Peace, and program assistant Sin Putheary told the Post, “The march in Siem Reap went very smoothly. We didn’t expect that more than 300 students would join us in this march, and when I walked with them throught the streets I felt so happy because I had a feeling at feeling at the moment that there is no more war in the world.”

One theme of the conference was that, while conventional wisdom has it that older men usually start wars while young men do the fighting, young people in some countries – of ten the uneducated and uninformed – can be active agents in the agitation to commence war, while in other countries it is the youth who are the champions of peace.

Before the Sunday march, students assembled at the Provincial Teacher Training College on Charles De Gaulle Boulevard. Youth for Peace Executive Director Long Khet told the gathering that an objective of the conference was to get youth from various countries recently war-torn, to share their ideas on how to find justice, peace and reconciliation.

Many of the participants at the conference were invited from counties that had recently experience war.

“We wanted the students to understand the root causes of the wars, and why the war happened. We want them to take advantage of their experiences of war by turning them into experience to help develop their country in the future,” Long Khet said.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport’s Chey Chap said, “It is an important conference that will help pave the way for youth to find peace and justice in their mind. The Cambodian government always tries its best to provide justice and find peace.”


Siem Reap Deputy Governor Mao Vuthy said, “Youth are seeking a way to turn a conflict culture into a peace culture. This conference is also seeking ways to develop the world in this 21st century.”

Project Yet to Bring Promised Prosperity

Vietnam News Service (18-09-2008)

HA NOI - The East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) - a 1,450km highwaylinking central Viet Nam with Laos, Thailand and Myanmar - whichopened two years ago has yet to boost trade equitably among countriesas anticipated.

Statistics released by Tien Sa Port in Da Nang City, revealed that inthe first five months of the year, of the 30,000 containers passingthrough the port, there were only 1,000 belonging to Lao enterprises.

According to Thai transport companies, provinces in Thailand’s north-east region each year transport around five million tonnes of cassava,one million tonnes of rice, one million tonnes of ore and 500,000tonnes of rubber latex via Vietnamese ports. However, in reality,freight companies prefer to transport goods through Bangkok ratherthan through Da Nang, which is just 500km away - 200km nearer than theThai capital.

Thai companies claim it takes them two days to transport goods to DaNang and they incur numerous fees. They also say goods take too longto clear customs at four border gates: Mukdahan, Savanakhet, Densavanand Lao Bao.

The Lao Bao border gate in particular has suffered administrativeproblems, admitted Chairman of the central Quang Tri Province’sPeople’s Committee Le Huu Phuc.
Currently, the "one-door" administrative policy has been piloted atLao Bao and Densavan border gates - the first in the Greater Mekongsub-region to apply the policy, which is designed to shorten the timeit takes to clear customs.

However, enterprises using the two gates are still subject to numerouscharges, such as the customs fee, the botanical quarantine feecollected by the Botanical Quarantine Agency and the border-crossingfee collected by border guards.

Aside from the cost, the process is also time-consuming, freightcompanies say.
The provincial People’s Committee is drafting a plan to simplify feecollection procedures for imports and exports.

Customs clearance for imports and exports at Viet Nam’s Lao Bao bordergate are also considered more complex than that in Laos and Thailand.

Another problem encountered by freight companies is that right-handvehicles are not allowed to travel in Viet Nam, according to Lam QuangMinh, Director of Da Nang City’s Investment Promotion Centre.

Despite the fact that transport ministers from Viet Nam, Laos andThailand signed an agreement to permit right-hand-drive vehicles totravel in EWEC countries, Minh says Vietnamese cars and lorries arenot allowed to enter Thailand, while right-hand-drive vehicles areonly permitted to enter Viet Nam’s Lao Bao special commercial andeconomic zone.

Phuc suggested that the Government and the Ministry of Finance (MoF)improve fee-collecting procedures by selling goods-transport ticketsthat covers the total cost of using a border gate.
The MoF and the General Department of Customs should also simplifyprocedures for the temporary import and re-export of goods, Phuc said.

The Government, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministryof Planning and Investment should issue concrete guidance onimplementing the memorandum of understanding on economic co-operationamong EWEC countries signed by Viet Nam, Laos and Thailand on December26 last year, he added. - VNS

MRC Countries Debate Hydropower Management

By Vientiane Times



(Latest Update September 26, 2008)

More than 200 representatives from member countries of Mekong basin, domestic and international organisations along with the private sector are discussing how to sustain the development of hydropower dams in the Mekong region.

The discussion in Vientiane is hosted by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat for regional multi-stakeholder consultation on its hydropower programme. The meeting is taking place from September 25 to 27.

"Hydroelectricity has long been recognised as one of the cleanest, most sustainable and, in the long run, least expensive methods of generating power," said MRC Joint Committee member for the Lao PDR, Mr Chanthavong Saignasith.

He acknowledged there could be negative impacts associated with hydropower and said it was important the Lower Mekong countries were able to study the benefits and costs associated with dam construction before making decisions.

The MRC provided decision-makers in the four Lower Mekong countries with a sound knowledge platform, enabling them to assess the gains and impacts of each hydropower proposal in a basin-wide context, he said.

This included scientific input from many different fields and sources across the Mekong region and beyond, from village-level fisheries research to international navigation experience. The MRC sources and provides such data, and also assesses plans for various power-generating scenarios through integrated modelling tools.

"The MRC hydropower programme is being designed to assist this decision-making process, and to help set up mechanisms that can make sure countries' concerns are addressed as approved projects are implemented, " said Chief Executive Officer of the MRC Secretariat Jeremy Bird.
He said the creation of a framework for regional and cross-sector cooperation on hydropower gives great impetus to sustainable development in the Lower Mekong Basin .

"The MRC believes that developing cooperation and dialogue between countries, at multiple levels of society, can help ensure the growth of the hydropower industry is managed in a way that conserves environmental resources and the livelihoods of the people that depend on them," he said.

Acting MRC Communi-cations Officer Aiden Glendinning stressed the importance of consultation in the decision-making process.

"It is very important to understand that if a country wants to build a dam on the Mekong , it needs to write a letter to the MRC which we can pass on to other members for discussion and agreement," he said.

Mr Glendinning said at a press conference yesterday the MRC's role was to arrange meetings for the four members of the lower Mekong countries - Cambodia , Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam - to discuss the development of hydropower dams. China and Myanmar are dialogue partners of the MRC.

He said regarding the contribution to flow, 16 percent of water came from China, two percent from Myanmar , 18 percent from Cambodia , 35 percent from Laos , 18 percent from Thailand and 11 percent from Vietnam . The volume of water in the Mekong is about 475 cubic kilometres a year, which equals 6,500 cubic metres per person per year.

"Dams will block fish migration and create an unnatural situation for fish, but dams can also provide protection from flooding, store water during the rainy season for use in dry season agricultural activities, and produce electricity, " Mr Glendinning said.

"Meanwhile, you have to share the benefits. That means not only benefits for people near the reservoir, but you have to plan for the sustainability of hydropower and consider ways to help people who live downstream to benefit as well."

Presentations were made by participants from all stakeholder sectors, including national electricity enterprises from the MRC member states, environmental advocacy groups, developers, and national Mekong committees.

Hydropower industry experts from China and outside Asia also attended the consultative meeting. Various different perspectives emerged, and these will help inform the MRC hydropower programme and encourage wider consultation, thus contributing to development outcomes.

The 4th International Conference on Gross National Happiness

The Centre for Bhutan Studies (CBS) is pleased to announce the 4th International Conference on Gross National Happiness, from November 24 to 26, 2008.

The conference will focus on themes related to GNH such as psychology, environment, community relations, education, health, living standard, governance, culture, time use and economy, and their indicators. Interested individuals, including government officials, academics, and NGO representatives, may attend the conference. Those who wish to present papers should submit abstracts and the paper by the end of October 2008.

The participants will have to make their own travel arrangement till Paro airport. CBS will be responsible for local transport from/to airport, and food and accommodation for four days, that is, 23, 24, 25, and 26 of November. Gratis visa will be granted to participants. International participants will have to pay a fee of US $ 300, and discounted fee of Nu. 5,000 for the SAARC nationals.

Inquiries about the conference may be directed to Dorji Penjore at 975-2-335872 or dorpen71@gmail. com. for more information please visit: http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/main/highlight_detail.php?id=41