UN agencies to assist Thailand with tsunami recovery planning

As part of continuing efforts to help affected countries recover from the devastating effects of last year's Indian Ocean tsunami, two United Nations agencies have signed an agreement to help local government in Thailand with the rehabilitation planning for the areas hit by the killer wave last December.

The UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) said in a statement that the activity is part of a larger UN Development Programme (UNDP) project which focuses on supporting the rehabilitation of minority communities in the region.

UN-HABITAT's role in the overall project is to build capacity of local government organizations and to document best practices of both local government and community-based organizations in rehabilitation planning and implementation.

The tsunami damaged or destroyed some 20,000 households in Thailand's six southern provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong, Trang and Satun along the Andaman coastline. The challenges now faced by local government organizations trying to coordinate multi-sector rehabilitation planning activities range from coordinating relief efforts, to land use planning, shelter reconstruction, and the rehabilitation of basic services.

UN-HABITAT, in collaboration with the Department of Local Administration (DLA) and the Thailand Environment Institute, will be providing technical support to three local government organizations in Phang Nga and Ranong.