Deltares signs cooperation agreement with Thailand
Deltares has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thailand’s Royal Irrigation Department (RID), Chulalongkorn University (CU), and the Faculty of Engineering at Kasetsart University (KU). Over the coming years, we will work together to exchange knowledge, improve technical skills, and work on relevant projects.
Technical cooperation
In the coming years, Deltares will work with its Thai partners on technical cooperation in the field of sustainable water resources management and other water management-related areas, with a focus on responding to climate change.
The cooperation will focus on a wide range of areas, including among others:
- Researching and studying advanced Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to optimise multi-objective uses of water resources.
- Collaborating on research and development in areas such as flood and drought risks, salinity intrusion, irrigation, water quality, coastal protection, and biodiversity.
- Sharing information and knowledge for more efficient water management.
- Building resilience to tackle the challenges of climate change adaptation, especially for agricultural and water & climate sensitive areas.
The cooperation agreement was signed at the Royal Thai Embassy in The Hague by Director General Suriyapon Nuchanong (RID), Prof. Dr. Willert Phuriwat (President CU), Dr Wanchai Yodsudjai, (Dean Faculty of Engineering KU) and Bianca Peters, Director Strategic Partnerships and Relations (Deltares).
Enhancing expertise
The cooperation will allow us to enhance each other’s scientific, technical, and engineering competence. Our knowledge will be exchanged in several ways, including through joint research programmes, meeting regularly, and by working towards joint development opportunities.
We will also work together and exchange knowledge during conferences and seminars, capacity building programmes, and through the exchange of scientists, students, and technical personnel. Finally, we will collaborate on several specific projects which will be identified at a later date.
Thailand and Deltares have worked together extensively across a range of areas and we hope this new partnership will enhance our scientific, technical, and engineering expertise and we look forward to many fruitful years of cooperation!
Bianca Peters, Director Strategic Partnerships and Relations at Deltares
Historic bilateral cooperation
Thailand and the Netherlands have deep and historic bilateral ties, dating back over 400 years. Water management has long been a spearhead in the bilateral relationship, and it has also been championed by the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok and the Royal Thai Embassy in The Hague.
Deltares also has extensive experience in Thailand, working on a range of projects. This includes the development of a Flood Early Warning System for Bangkok and developing a storm surge model for the Gulf of Thailand.
Currently, we are also using our Delft FEWS in cooperation with local partners on the RID-SWAMP system to create a large data and modelling platform for the whole country. We are also participating in a project financed by the Asian Development Bank aimed at climate adaptive strengthening of the Lower Eastern Chao Phraya River.
