Coordinating Committee for Department of Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Geoscience Programmes in East and Environment and Southeast Asia

Final Circular

Department of Groundwater Resources CCOPCCOP 20082008 ,

45th Annual Session Department of Mineral Fuels 23 - 28 November, 2008 52nd Steering Committee Meeting 29 - 30 November, 2008 EVENT SCHEDULE

45th Annual Session 52nd Steering Committee Meeting

Sunday, 23 November 2008 Saturday, 29 November 2008

1600 – 1800 Pre-registration 0800 – 0900 Registration 1900 – 2100 Head of Delegation Meeting/Dinner 0900 – 1700 52nd Steering Committee Meeting Monday, 24 November 2008 1830 Welcome Dinner 0800 – 0900 Registration Sunday, 30 November 2008 0900 – 1000 Opening Ceremony

1000 – 1030 Group Photo Session • Steering Committee Meeting 0800 – 1500 (continuation) Annual Session • Drafting of the SC Meeting Report • CCOP Progress Report 1100 – 1700 • Presentation of Member 1530 – 1700 Adoption of the Report Counties’ Reports

1830 Welcome Dinner 1830 Farewell Dinner

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

Annual Session (continuation) 0800 – 1500 • Presentation of Cooperating Countries/Organizations’ Reports

Advisory Group Meeting 1530 – 1800 (separate meeting)

Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Annual Session (continuation) 0800 – 1200 • Presentation of CCOP Workplan

Thematic Session Theme : “Geoscience Context in 1330 – 1700 Response to the Current Global Issues”

Thursday, 27 November 2008

0800 – 1600 Thematic Session (continuation)

• Adoption of the 45th AS Report 1600 – 1730 • Closing Ceremony

1830 Farewell Dinner

Friday, 28 November 2008

Field Excursion • Sirindhorn Museum 0800 – 1800 • Nam Phong Gas Field • Phrathat Kham Kaen • Ban Khok Sanga king cobras village INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS

Meeting Venue & Hotel Accommodation : SOFITEL RAJA ORCHID KHON KAEN HOTEL 99 Prachasumran Road, Amphur Muang, Changwat Khon Kaen, Thailand, 40000 Tel : (66) 043 322 155, Fax : (66) 043 322 150 E-mail : [email protected] Room Rate : Baht / room / night ‧ Standard Single/Twin : 2,100 ‧ Deluxe room (Single) : 2,900 ‧ Deluxe premium (Single) : 3,550 ‧ Executive Suite (Single) : 5,200

Passport and Visa Requirements : Visitors must possess a passport valid for at least six months upon arrival. Participants requiring a visa should apply directly to the Embassy, Consulate or Diplomatic Mission of Thailand in their own country.

Reception Upon Arrival : Delegates will be met upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport by the Thai staff and will be transferred to Don Muang Airport to connect a flight to Khon Kaen (3 flights daily at 06.15, 11.00 and 18.45 hrs; flying time is about 1 hour) The Delegates will also be met by the Thai staff at Khon Kaen Airport and transferred to their booked hotels. Organizing Secretariat should be informed well in advance by the Delegates of their expected dates, times of arrival, and flight details.

Currency : Exchange rate is approximately US$ 1 = Baht 32. Exchange of Languages : currency may be done at the airport, local banks, the hotels around Thai is the national language. English is widely used in the city. Major credit cards are widely accepted. business and education. Many Thais in Khon Kaen can understand and speak brief English.

Weather : November is the start of cold season in Thailand. The weather Time zone : GTM + 7 hours in November is mostly dry with temperature ranging from 18๐ to 34๐C.

The Sirindhorn Museum is located at Sahatsakhan District, . Over 700 pieces of bones have been found here belonging to at least seven individual sauropod dinosaurs. One of these seven is the most complete dinosaur skeleton found to date in Thailand. These sauropods were buried in a large river system. This dinosaur site is now protected under a permanent building and has exhibits telling about discovery of the site. The Sirindhorn Museum is the major museum of the Department of Mineral Resources for storing, research, and displaying the fossils, especially dinosaur fossils. It also acts as a learning center and tourism attraction for the general public. ABOUT KHON KAEN

Khon Kaen province has been established for more Khon Kean is located 449 kilometers from Bangkok than 200 years since the time of King Rama I’ s in the middle of northeastern, lying between 15 - 17 reign. It has long history about nature or civilization degrees north latitude and 101-103 degrees east as there have been found fossils of ancient living longitude. Its area is 10,855 square kilometers or things aging million of years, a lot of pre-history 6.8 million rai comprising 19 districts and 5 communities as well as Khmer castle of B.E. 18. subdistricts. The neighbouring provinces are (from Due to the civilization that has been built up since north clockwise) Nongbua Lamphu, Udorn Thani, pre-history period, the culture, traditions and ancient Kalasin, Maha–Sarakham, Buriram, Nakorn remains found here reflect the trace of the nation of Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Phetchabun, and Loei. Thailand and Thai people. Geographically, Khon Kaen is located in the heart of Not only being the center of northeastern in terms of the Khorat Plateau. The Chi River flows through geography but also being the educational and this province. technological center because Khon Kaen University is located there. There are good public utilities and facilities systems, many buses plying the city, a lot of accommodations with several ranges of prices. All these things induce tourism capability of the province.

Khon Kaen

Bangkok

Please address registration forms, inquiries and correspondences to :

DR. HEE–YOUNG CHUN MR. APICHAI CHVAJARERNPUN Director Permanent Representative of Thailand to CCOP CCOP Technical Secretariat Director-General CCOP Building Department of Mineral Resources 75/10 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, 75/10 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400 THAILAND Bangkok 10400 THAILAND Tel : (66) 0–2644–5468 Tel : (66) 0–2621–9501 to 4 Fax : (66) 0–2644–5429 Fax : (66) 0–2621–9505 E-mail : [email protected] E-mail : [email protected]