Thailand to attend climate change meeting in Paris as planned

BANGKOK, Nov 16 (TNA) -- Thailand's Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment affirmed Thailand's participation in the upcoming climate change meeting in Paris, France as planned, despite the recent terrorist attack in the French capital. Mr Kasemsun Chinnavaso said that Thailand would be participating in the upcoming 21st United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) or COP21 in Paris scheduled between November 30 to December 11, where an entourage of 80 representatives from 13 agencies of 10 ministries, 2 NGOs, and a private company would be attending the conference. The permanent secretary said the meeting is very important as it would be the extended plan from the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to be terminated by year's end. He said Thailand would be participating in the conference as planned, despite the recently terrorist attack that took place in the French capital last Friday (Nov 13), as the French government has ensured its readiness to provide the best security for the attendees, whereas the meeting schedule has remained unchanged. As for the 20 million baht budget that would be approved by the Cabinet tomorrow, he said the budget would be used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organise the G77 summit, which would encompass a total of 9 conferences and other separate meetings throughout next year. He said the budget has never prior been set and so he would have to ask for the Cabinet to approve the budget during the weekly Cabinet meeting tomorrow. (TNA)