On 3 February 2023, the planning meeting for the ASEAN Municipal Waste Management Enhancement (AMUSE) Project was held in collaboration with the Pollution Control Department (PCD), bringing together 40 representatives from relevant agencies to align the project’s implementation with Thailand’s current policies and plans on municipal solid waste and tourism management.
The AMUSE Project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and GIZ. Participants from the PCD, Department of Environmental Quality Promotion (DEQP), Department of Local Administration (DLA), Sustainable Tourism Development Authority of Thailand (Public Organisation) (TAT), Center of Excellence in Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, and Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), jointly designed strategies and action plans for the project in Thailand.
GIZ, led by Shamier Kanal, Regional Director of the AMUSE Project, welcomed the participants: “It is a pleasure to note that this project is managed under the ASEAN Secretariat. The AMUSE Project operates in four countries: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, within the ASEAN region. Thailand has been recognised as a leading model country in waste management within ASEAN. Today’s meeting will focus on strategizing the project and planning its implementation to serve as a guide for future collaborative planning.”
Kanchalee Navikpoom, Director of the Waste and Hazardous Substance Management Division, Pollution Control Department, and Chair of the meeting, opened the session: “The AMUSE Project is a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and Ministry of Interior. Tourism is a crucial economic sector for Thailand, especially in the post-COVID era. One of the key competitive strategies is high-quality tourism. However, tourism has adverse impacts on natural resources, necessitating integrated efforts across multiple ministries. The AMUSE Project aims to enhance waste management and integrate it with tourism. The challenge is how to design environmentally conscious tourism that reduces waste by shifting the focus from end-of-pipe waste disposal and segregation to improving waste management efficiency at the source.”
Alvaro Surita, Director of the AMUSE Project in Thailand, presented the background and overview of the AMUSE Project following the result chain model, and highlighted how Thailand’s activities are associated with the AMUSE Project’s efforts at the ASEAN level.
(From left) Kullacha Thanakwang, Director of the Municipal Solid Waste Sub-division, Waste and Hazardous Substance Management Division, Pollution Control Department; Kobkul Pittarachat, Specialist in Tourism Development, Department of Tourism, and Dr Boonwara Sumano Chenphuengpawn, Senior Researcher and Head of Social Policy Development Team,
Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI)
During the meeting, the following topics were presented:
- ‘Current Situation and Future Trends of Policies, Directions, Plans, and Practices Related to Community Waste Management Linked with the Tourism Sector’ by Kullacha Thanakwang, Director of the Municipal Solid Waste Sub-division, Waste and Hazardous Substance Management Division, Pollution Control Department.
- ‘Current Situation and Future Trends of Policies, Directions, Plans, and Practices in the Tourism Sector that Align with and Support Sustainable Community Waste Management’ by Kobkul Pittarachat, Specialist in Tourism Development, Department of Tourism.
‘Gender Sensitivity Related to Community Waste Management and the Tourism Sector’ by Dr Boonwara Sumano Chenphuengpawn, Senior Researcher and Head of Social Policy Development Team, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
During the meeting, AMUSE Project staff, GIZ representatives and participants collectively gained an understanding of the project’s origins and logical framework. They provided feedback to refine the plan for effective implementation in Thailand. The meeting emphasised the importance of integrating the Results-Based Management (RBM) approach and gender sensitivity into the project’s action plan.
The key outcome of the meeting was the discussion and design of the project’s direction and operational plan. As a result, a detailed activity plan for 2023 was developed, outlining the support roles of each agency involved.
