The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), in cooperation with the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA), Thailand, organized a three-day Regional Workshop on the Provision of Water-Related Services to the Poor at the Garden Beach Resort, Pattaya, Thailand, from 9 to 11 September 2003. The workshop was an activity under the project, funded by the Government of Japan, on capacity building for strengthening public-private partnership for improving the provision of water supply and sanitation services to the poor in the Asian and Pacific region.

          The Workshop aimed at strengthening capacities of the participating countries in public-private partnerships for the delivery of water supply and sanitation services and dissemination of the best practices of the provision of water-related services to the underprivileged people. The objectives of the Workshop were to:

1. Review the draft guidelines on water and sanitation services planning considerations for serving the urban poor and finalize it for publication;

2. Strengthen capacities of the countries interested in creating public-private partnerships for the delivery of water supply and sanitation services, especially in urban areas with a large proportion of the poor;

3. Identify, analyze and guide dissemination of the best practices of the provision of water-related services to the underprivileged people.

          The Workshop was facilitated by international experts and resources persons. Participants of the workshop were 30 senior officials responsible for water supply and sanitation services from UNESCAP member countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam.

          The Workshop was inaugurated on Tuesday, 9 September 2003 by Mr. Chaweng Chusri, Deputy Governor, PWA, Bangkok. Also present were Mr. Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, Mayor of Pattaya City; Mr. David Jezeph, Chief, Water Security Section, Mr. Yuri Steklov, Economic Affairs Officer, Water Security Section, Environment and Development Division, UNESCAP; Mr. Montri Areerat, Director, PWA Regional Office I, Chonburi; Mr. Kamon Pacharakorn, Manager, Pattaya Waterworks Office; Mr. Ian Bensted, UNESCAP Consultant and participants from UNESCAP member countries. 

          The Workshop discussed in detail the draft guidelines on the provision of water and sanitation services, cases studies and national experiences in the provision of water-related services to the low-income population. The group also made a site visit to Nong Klang Dong Water Treatment Plant, Pattaya Waterworks Office on 11 September 2003.