MNRE Minister's Consultant Opens 2nd International Groundwater Symposium, Uniting Global Experts to Combat Climate Change

Today (August 19, 2024) at 09:30 a.m., Pol. Gen. Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), appointed Mr. Komen Teekathananon, MNRE’s Ministerial Advisor, to preside over the opening ceremony of the 2nd International Groundwater Symposium. The symposium, titled "Strengthening Groundwater Sustainability under Climate Change," is a platform for exchanging knowledge, experiences, research findings, innovations, and technologies related to groundwater at national and international levels. The goal is to enhance understanding of groundwater's critical role in the environment, economy, and society. Attendees include MNRE executives, researchers, experts, and dignitaries from over 17 countries, who are presenting their work to share knowledge and experiences on significant topics at The Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, Bangkok.

The MNRE’s advisor noted that groundwater is a natural resource with significant potential to address the challenges posed by climate change, given that global groundwater volumes are more than 30 times greater than surface water. This resource can be developed and utilized to meet the needs of people and various sectors. The Department of Groundwater Resources, as the primary agency responsible for groundwater development and management in Thailand, has initiated multiple projects to provide groundwater resources to the public, agriculture, and industry. These projects aim to ensure access to quality and adequate water supplies and to support the exchange of groundwater knowledge between national and international experts, promoting sustainable groundwater management.