Thailand, SKorea co-host ARF DiREx 2013 IPC

BANGKOK, January 14 (TNA) - Thailand and South Korea co-host the ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Exercise (ARF DiREx) 2013 Initial Planning Conference (IPC) in Bangkok from January 14-16, 2013. The two-day regional conference, held at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and Towers, was co-chaired by Arthayuth Srisamoot, Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs under Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Oh Young Ju Director-General of the Development Cooperation Bureau under the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, while its opening session was inaugurated on Monday by Chatchai Promlert, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation under Thailand's Ministry of Interior, in his capacity as the chair of the ARF DiREx 2013 Thailand Executive Committee. The ARF DiREx 2013 represents Thailand’s commitment and active role in regional disaster management and serves as a platform for networking and promoting exchange of knowledge, expertise and best practices among ARF members and international agencies on disaster management. First held in 2009, the ARF DiREx takes place every two years and are co-hosted by one of ASEAN member states and one non-ASEAN ARF member, aimed to enhance civilian-military coordination and cooperation in disaster relief efforts, apart from promoting the exchange of expertise and practices in disaster management among ARF members, which include 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN dialogue partners and other countries in Asia-Pacific. This first IPC brings together 200 representatives from ARF members and relevant agencies and serves as a stage for the participants to share their views and plans, as well as suggestions for the upcoming ARF DiREx 2013, scheduled to be held in Cha-um District of Thailand’s upper southern Petchaburi Province from May 7-11, 2013, with Thailand and South Korea to, again, jointly host its Final Planning Conference on April 1-3, followed by the May 7-11 ARF DiREx 2013. (TNA)