http://chm-thai.onep.go.th ∗ – Banpot Napompeth National Biological Control Research Centre (NBCRC) Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 Thailand Biological Control Research Center (NBCRC) on behalf of Kasetsart University was designated and authorized The worldwide supports to biosystematics prior as the National Coordinating Institute (NACI) by the to the Rio Summit in 1992 was so negligible not only Office of Environmental Policy and Planning (OEPP), in developed countries but was more so in developing Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment countries and countries with economies in transition. (MOSTE). The subsequently identified and designated The Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) under the National Institutes (NIs) are: Convention on Biological Diversity – CBD) will Kasetsart University, Bangkok (KU) with certainly help revitalize biosystematics if it could be NBCRC as NACI widely and consistently implemented. It will also be of National Science Museum, Pathum Thani a benefit to strengthrning biosystematics in developing (NSM) countries especially in terms of capacity–building, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (CU) technology transfer as well as benefit–sharing. Mahidol University, Bangkok (MU) Thailand and other countries in the ASEANET are Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai (CMU) no exception and are in urgent needs of such a global Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen (KKU) benefit. Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, As far as Thailand is concerned, the country Songkhla (PSU) status on biosystematics has a relatively slow pace Burapha University, Chon Buri (BU) of development and has remained behind neighboring Department of Agriculture, Ministry of countries in the Southeast Asian region. The lack Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) (DOA) รายงานการประช of long–term and sustainable coordination and Royal Forest Department, MOAC (RFD) cooperation is characteristic among various institutes Department of Fisheries, MOAC (DOF) in the country and the so–called national institutes Thailand Institute of Scientific and (NIs) under ASEANET are no exception either. As ุ ม Technological Research, MOSTE (TISTR) earlier stated, there exists an urgent need in the country การประเม A questionnaire prepared by the Network to upgrade and strengthen biosystematics with a Coordinating Institute (NECI) was sent out to NIs ิ strong and long–term national program to help serve นความต and other institutes and individuals to collect as a focal point with a clearing house mechanism information from the NIs working on biosystematics for future coordination and implementation of the องการทางอน especially insects, nematodes and microorganisms development. on their manpower resources, number of collection ุ and records, information available, and their needs กรมว in these areas to strengthen the institutes. Other ิ Following the ASEANET Formulation Meeting ธานระด than the NIs the questionnaire was also sent to other in Kuala lumpur in August 1996, the National ั บชาต ∗ Paper presented at the 2nd LCC Meeting of ASEANET, Cibinong, Bogor, Indonesia, November 7–8, 2000 ิ 49 http://chm-thai.onep.go.th agencies such as Mae Jo University, Mae Jo, (NACIs) was again sent to all NIs and other agencies ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Chaingmai (MJU); Naresuan University, Phitsanulok and individuals involved earlier in April 2000. This (NU); Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, has become a great attempt for there was no single Pathum Thani (TU); Silpakorn University, Nakhon response!!!! Pathom (SU); Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Again in June 2000, NECI prepared another Ratchathani (URU); Maha Sarakham University, Maha questionnaire for the compilation of ASEANET Sarakham (MSU); and key well known biosystematicists taxonomic expertise. The questionnaire was sent to in the country. The questionnaires were sent out in the same target groups at 49 destinations. The September 1999. response received so far were from NBCRC, Kasetsart Altogether 49 questionnaires were sent out to University on parasitic Hymenoptera; Khon kaen 14 universities, 4 government departments, 2 research University, Khon kaen on Scarabaeninae (dung institutes, 12 individual biosystematicists and 17 beetles); and the Thailand Institute of Scientific and NBCRC collaboratings agencies. Of these, only 7 Technological Research (TISTR), Bangkok on algae responses were received. One each from NBCRC and cyanobacteria, fungi and gliding bacteria (both Central Regional Center, Kasetsart University at fruiting and non–fruiting). Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom; Chaing Mai Department of Agriculture, MOAC which University, Chiang Mai; Burapha Universitky, Chon houses the country’s largest insect collection with Buri; and Chulalongkorn University promised to send an Insect Museum of about 500,000 specimens, and it after the completion of the database renovation 8,071 species of which were identified never respond (but not received up till now). Two responses were to any questionnaire or request. DOA claims to have ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ received from Prince of Songkla University, one each the largest insect collection in Southeast Asia. from Hat Yai Campus in Songkhla and Pattani Similarly, Kasetsart University with its insect museum Campus, Pattani. containing over 200,000 speciemens with the number In these questionnaires it is noted that the of species identified not known also never respond responses were all from academic institutes, none to any questionnaire. was from government agencies nor individuals. The four key institutions of insect biosystematics, namely, Kasetsart University, Department of Agriculture, Royal From August to September 2000, an attachment Forest Department, and the National Science Museum program arranged by ASEANET and BioNET did not respond at all in spite of repeated request International has enabled Mr. Kosol Charernsom of ิ and reminders. It is also noted that among those NBCRC Central Regional Center at Kasetsart responses some indicated needs for the rahabilitation University at Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom to บชาต ั of the facility such as Chiang Mai University (US$ undergo a training program on the Taxonomy of ธานระด ิ 52,000), Prince of Songkla University (US$ 37,000 for Parasitic Hymenoptera at the British Museum (Natural History) in London, UK. THAIBUG, a list of parasitic กรมว ุ Hat Yai Campus and US$ 32,500 for Pattani Campus), and Burapha University (US$ 25,000), totalling US$ Hymenoptera of Thailand was one of the outcome 146,500 excluding additional cost for human resource of this training program. A copy of which is in Annex องการทางอน development, training needs and references of various I. A training report (ANNEX II) and a similar training forms, conventional as well as electronic. program (ANNEX III) tailored for ASEANET is also นความต ิ being proposed to be carried out at NBCRC, CRC, Kasetsart University at Kamphaeng Saen in May 2001. การประเม A survey of information and communication In addition, a list of reference specimens of ม ุ technology in ASEANET questionnaire prepared by natural enemies at the Natural Enemies Reference NECI in order to gather information and data on the Depository (NERD) of the NBCRC Headquarters at status of Information and Communication Technology Kasetsart University in Bangkok was also prelimanarily (ICTs) within the National Coordinating Institutes completed. A list of NERD insects is in Annex IV. รายงานการประช 50 http://chm-thai.onep.go.th A list of identifiied insects, mites and spiders curated Another seminar organized by OEPP in October 2000 at the Insect Museum of Department of Agriculture, was on the training needs in the conservation of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Bangkok with an example with on species for each biodiversity and the management of protected areas family is herewith given as Annex V. in Thailand. Again in this seminar, the training needs in biosystematics was identified and details given. The needs range from taxonomy of various microorganisms at the molecular level to the taxonomy In September 2000 the Office of Environmental of higher plants, insects, fishes and other animals. Policy and Planning (OEPP), the CBD National Focal Point for Thailand, organized a consultation meeting on the training needs in biodiversity and management Thailand needs and requires long–term training of protected areas. Participating in the meeting were needs in biosystematics as well as the rehabilitaion experts and representatives of the government and of the antiquated facilities to curate all biological private sector. Outstanding among all other training specimens in the country. This needs and needs was the training needs in biosystematics requirements is equally shared by other member emphasizing the building–up of parataxonomists. countries of the ASEANET. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Natural Enemies Reference Depository (NERD) National Biological Control Research Center (NBCRC) Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900 Thailand Species Family common name Ablerus sp. Aphelinidae scale parasite Aceratoneuromyia indica (Silvestri) Eulophidae fruit fly parasite Achrysopophagus sp. Encyrtidae scale parasite Acroclisoides sp. nr. spilopterus Masi Pteromalidae egg parasite Acrodactylas sp. Ichneumonidae parasitic Acropimpla sp. Ichneumonidae parasitic รายงานการประช Adelencyrtus mederatus (Howard) Encyrtidae parasitic Adelencyrtus nr. coxalis Alam & Agarwal Encyrtidae cycad scale parasite Adelognathus