Amsterdam RAI, together with local and international organisations and AsiaCongress Events have today launched the largest water and wastewater event in Southeast Asia – Aquatech Asia 2005 at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center (BITEC). The exhibition has drawn in some 100 exhibitions from 20 countries and will be held from today until 8 October 2005. The international significance of the event is emphasised by pavilions from India, The Netherlands, Singapore and the United States.
According to HE Mr Somchai Sunthornvat, Deputy Minister of Interior, who has presided over the opening ceremony of Aquatech Asia 2005, “Water has always been a driving force for economic prosperity and social development over the past centuries. However, water is often time taken for granted as two-thirds of the earth is made up of water. As a result it gives people the impression that it is as infinite resource, free for everyone to use and abuse. People have little or no understanding of the long-term consequences of their actions. We, today, are suffering from the consequences of our past actions that contributed to the depletion and pollution of water sources and environmental degradation that has caused draughts and floods. It has been projected that by 2025 two-thirds of the world population will face severe water shortage.
“By supporting industry-related events such as Aquatech Asia 2005, the Ministry of Interior, on behalf of the Thai government, hopes to raise public awareness on the importance of people’s involvement in preserving our most vital resources, and provide a venue to share new knowledge, technologies and experiences for the advancement of the water industry,” HE Mr Somchai added.
Dr Prasert Chuaphanich, Governor of Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA), said “As a state enterprise responsible for the provision of clean water supply in the country, PWA is committed to the advancement and development of services in water industry. Fortunately, Aquatech Asia provides an ideal platform for the exchange of knowledge and latest technology in the water industry. It is therefore fitting that PWA takes an active part in this event.”
Mr Ids Boersma, Director International of RAI Exhibition, “Aquatech Asia has become a truly important event for the water technology industry in the region. It is organised every two years, and this is now the third time we have organised Aquatech Asia in Bangkok. We expect an increasing number of participants and visitors from surrounding countries and foresee this exhibition, along with ours, playing a vital role resolving wastewater treatment issues in the region.”
Mr Marcel Ewals, Managing Director of AsiaCongress Events Co Ltd, said “The exhibition, which is organised every two years, is expected to draw great interest over the course of three days. Visitors both local and international will hail from various government agencies (water districts and industrial estates), local government (city mayors, city planners, and sanitary engineers), national agencies (regulatory and policy making bodies), private industry (plant engineers & managers, water treatment plant managers, industrial estate managers, laboratory engineers) and the academia.”
Aquatech Asia 2005 is certified by the US Commercial Services and supported by Thailand’s Provincial Waterworks Authority, Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, Pollution Control Department, Wastewater Management Authority, TCEB, The Royal Dutch Embassy, Asian Institute of Technology, Thai-India Chamber of Commerce and Singapore Water Association.
For more information on Aquatech Asia 2005,
interested parties can contact AsiaCongress
Events at 02 960 0141 or visit www.aquatechtrade.com/asia
For media inquiries, please contact:
Kasemsri Kaewthammachai (01 611 4696) Email: kasemsri@thanaburin.co.th
Yuwadi Chombun (09 669 5286) Email: yuwadi@thanaburin.co.th
Tel: 02 231 6158-9 Fax: 02 231 6230 End.