UN-HABITAT and UNDP have signed an agreement to support local government organizations in participatory rehabilitation planning in areas of Thailand hit by last December’s tsunami killer wave. This activity is part of a larger 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. In Thailand, the tsunami damaged or destroyed some 20,000 households in the six southern provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong, Trang and Satun along the Andaman coastline. As the local communities struggle to rebuild their lives, there are also huge challenges faced by local government organizations which are trying to coordinate multi-sector rehabilitation planning efforts. The challenges range from coordinating relief efforts, 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. |
