The FAO-ESCAP pilot project on national water visions. From vision ...

6) Legal framework: to support the implementation of the above strategies, such as the
comprehensive new water law and the legislation for the introduction of discharge
licenses.
(b) Important components of the ongoing water resources strengthening programme
Apart from the achievements in the development of a national water policy already mentioned,
the ongoing water resources-strengthening programme is expected to achieve other important
results through the implementation of the following components:
• A <strong>pilot</strong> <strong>project</strong> to organize river basin committees in the sub-basins of the Chao Phraya,
which include the Upper Ping, Lower Ping and Pasak river basins.
• A study on the establishment of the Chao Phraya Basin Organization, to take into
consideration the improvement of the water sector capacity.
• A study on the right-based allocation of water, to address some aspects of the concept of
basin-based management, such as implementation policies and a <strong>pilot</strong> programme for this
approach.
• River basin management: to formulate a river basin management system in three areas: the
Ping River in the North, the Mun River in the Northeast and Klong Thatapao in the South,
including a review of the available information and data for water resources management
and watershed protection.
• <strong>The</strong> Thailand Integrated Water Resources Management System, which aims to promote
research work and activities on water resources management.
• Modernization of the irrigation system, to study the conjunctive use of surface and
groundwater, cost recovery in irrigation <strong>project</strong>s, and to promote people’s participation in
irrigation management, and the privatisation of irrigation.
It may be important to note the active collaboration of many agencies and international
organizations, including <strong>ESCAP</strong> and <strong>FAO</strong>, in the implementation of the components funded
by the Asian Development Bank.
(c) Direction of water resources management in the Ninth National Plan (2002-06)
It was pointed out during the implementation of <strong>project</strong>s on water resources management that
the Ninth National Plan would focus mainly on (1) balanced development, (2) quality of
development and (3) strengthening of the national development foundation. In this connection,
incorporation of water resources policies in the Ninth National Plan would aim to achieve
strategic results at the end of the plan on conservation and rehabilitation of water resources
and the establishment of management plans for the sustainable use of water resources and
optimum efficiency and effectiveness. This would involve (1) establishment of mechanisms
for the effective management of water resources at national, basin and local levels, (2)
completion of the management plan, which includes a crisis management plan, (3) definition
of a social code and water laws for assessment and public participation, (4) institutional
reforms and (5) capacity building.
In tandem with the strategic incorporation of water resources management issues in the Ninth
National Plan, efforts are made to vigorously implement the programme on decentralization of
water resources management as stipulated in the new Constitution. According to Senator
Pramote Maiklad, former director of ONWRC and former director general of the Royal
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