Laos thailand exchange

Smart Practice for Solid Waste Management

DELGOSEA, one of UCLG ASPAC’s projects coordinated the knowledge transfer activity for the implementation of best practice on UCLG ASPAC’s Laos – Thailand Exchange Visit held on October 11 – 14, 2016. This activity was held responding to the needs of Laos to have proper solid waste management for their country. With the assistance of National Municipal League of Thailand, Thailand was appointed to be the destination for Laos to learn and replicate the smart practice.

Three municipalities in Thailand: Nongsamrong, Phankhon, and Khonkaen were selected to be the destinations of Laos study visit. In these three municipalities, initiatives on waste management come up from governments as well as community, but always supported by the government in terms of waste management.

Transparency and participation were keywords. Authorities in Thailand show how community can contribute to the efficient allocation of city budget whenever community has produced less waste, meaning less money to

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manage the waste. This practice also includes cultural factor, in which governments encouraged community to separate hazardous waste and by doing so, governments allocate the support and donate it to the monks.

By doing this practice, governments in Laos and Thailand learn a lot about solid waste management. They also learn that participatory process is possible. By collaborating with the community, national governments of both countries build trust between them and community and that it is actually the practice of decentralization in specific issue.

UCLG ASPAC thanked KAS Manila, Deputy Governor of Udonthanu Province, Deputy Mayor of Phankhon and Khonkaen with acting mayor of Nongsamrong and the assistance of National Municipal League of Thailand for successfully holding this activity.