[Thamasak Yeemin]

Dear colleagues and friends,
From August 26th – 30th 2007, the working group of Phu Quoc Demonstration site, Vietnam, with consist of researchers, local leaders and member of Phu Quoc Management Board, visited Koh Chang Demonstration site to learn and share experiences gained from implementation of the demonstration site. The purpose of this visit was to raise management capacity for participants. By this study visit, besides having a meeting for exchanging the experiences with Koh Chang Demonstration site’s working group, the participants visited to Designated Area for Sustainable Tourism Development Administration and Mu Koh Chang National Park to discuss on issues related to mechanisms for coordination of natural resource protection, tourism management and financial sustainability. The participants visited Local Guide Center for practices on involvement of local communities in coral reef based tourism. The participants also had a field trip to mooring buoy setting sites and demonstration sites for coral rehabilitation to learn the processes of project implementation. The result of this study visit would effectively improve knowledge in management of marine resources, especially for coral reef of both demonstration sites.
Best Regards,
Mu Koh Chang Demonstration Site Team.