BALI, Oct 8 – Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reaffirmed to the gathered Asia Pacific leadership that her government’s investment in Bt350 billion of water management projects will successfully handle all kinds of water-related crises.
The Thai premier made her remarks during the working luncheon among the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organisation on the topic “Sustainable Growth with Equity: Food, Water, and Energy Security.”
She said that APEC is heading in the right direction as food and water security will lead to sustainable economic development.
Ms Yingluck said Thailand’s challenges involve both extremes of flooding and drought, but they have changed crises into opportunities by using water for industry, agriculture and food processing.
She urged wider use of efficient collective water management systems in the region to help promote food security.
The Thai premier noted that her government’s mega water management project is the beginning of Thailand’s potential to handle all kinds of water-related crises and that the kingdom is willing to share its experience with APEC economies.
Ms Yingluck left Bali this afternoon for Brunei’s capital of Bandar Seri Begawan to attend the 23rd ASEAN Summit until Thursday.
There, she is scheduled to join ASEAN leaders in attending meetings with key Dialogue Partners, i.e. China, Japan, Korea, India, and the United States, as well as the ASEAN+3 Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS). These meetings will be held under Brunei’s chairmanship for the last time before Myanmar assumes the role in 2014.
