Ladies and gentlemen, and distinguished guests, I am honoured to deliver my warm welcome to the 16th Save Migratory Birds Festival, on behalf of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership.
Congratulations on the 16th Save Migratory Birds Festival. Khok Kham Flyway Network Site is a very important site for the conservation of the threatened waterbird species of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Khok Kham is located in the Inner gulf of Thailand, at the heart of the Flyway. It supports thousands of migratory waterbirds including our flagship species, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a Critically Endangered species, with the global population of 400 only.
Khok Kham is a special Flyway Network Site that enables community and migratory waterbirds to live together. The habitat is safe and rich in resources, and well managed by local communities through their livelihoods. We believe that the conservation of this important Flyway Network Site also benefits local communities to ensure sustainable livelihood and the wise use of the wetland. We appreciate all the efforts made by the Government of Thailand and local people in Khok Kham to conserve and raise awareness about migratory waterbirds at this site. We hope this site will be supporting both local people and migratory waterbirds for the generations to come.