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Published on February 13, 2008

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin is scheduled to meet ambassadors from the other nine member countries next Monday to discuss the project's concept, said Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan.

At the international forum entitled "Global Views and Applications of Human Capital Development Consistent with Sufficiency Economy Philosophy towards Sustainable Enterprises", Apirak said the campaign would encourage both manufacturers and end-users to protect the environment and utilise natural resources.

Activities such as campaigning to use cloth bags instead of plastic bags will be launched in all the 10 Asean capitals.

"We will start this campaign as a network in ten capital cities because it will have stronger effect on other countries," he said, adding the World Bank had also offered financial support.

It is also important to sustain the business by means of HM the King's sufficiency economy philosophy, said Apirak, and manufacturers should focus more on utilising limited resources to boost their competitiveness in the global tough competition.

Another speaker, Chakramon Phasukavanich, director of Asian Productivity Organisation for Thailand, said foreigners had a better understanding and accepted the King's sufficiency economy on the global stage.

He said the philosophy has placed humanity at the centre and focuses on well-being rather than wealth, making sustainability the very core of the thinking, and concentrates on building people's capabilities to develop their potential.

"The markets of the 21st century are changing due to increasing globalisation, ecological pressures, population growth, and the evolution of new power centres. These factors create challenges for our existing forms of production and consumption, and beg for newer forms that rely on fewer materials and greater knowledge. Therefore, sustaining business in this new century is the hardest challenge," he said.

Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul

The Nation