World Toilet Expo & Forum 2006 Receives Enthusiastic Response

26 April 2006, Singapore– The second World Toilet Expo & Forum is getting enthusiastic support from host country, Thailand. As part of the commitment to put its master plan of building cleaner and healthier public toilet facilities into action, the Thai government is organising a big delegation to attend the event which will be held from 16 to 18 November at the Impact Exhibition & Convention Centre in Bangkok.

The 400-strong delegation will include public health officers, government officials from the Provincial Administrative Authority and other agencies responsible for public toilet management such as the regional centres of the Health Department and the National Toilet Committee.

Earlier, the ministry has announced its development strategy for Thai public toilets based on the three principles of health, accessibility and safety. Its vision is to make available clean public toilets and to educate and encourage users to exercise good toilet hygiene practices. In line with its objective of catering to the needs of mature cities, the Forum is structured with three tracks based on these principles.

Said Mr Anutin Charnvirakul, the Deputy Minister of Public Health, “Our Healthy Thailand Policy has been launched successfully. Therefore, the staging of the World Toilet Expo and Forum in Bangkok is timely as it allows us to build up our momentum and sharpen our focus on the promotion of toilet related issues.”

A number of MOPH officials will be presenting papers at the Forum. Leading the group will be the Minister of Public Health, who will give his keynote presentation on Happy Toilet, Healthy Life, an update on Thailand’s public toilets development strategy. The other presenters from the ministry will be Dr Narongsakdi Aungkasuvapala, Deputy Permanent Secretary who will speak on Thailand Public Toilet Standard and Guidelines by MOPH, and Surapon Sangrattanachai, Department of Health on Models of Public Toilet Cleaning.

In addition, Prof Dr Soontorn Boonyatikarn, Staff Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University will also present his paper on Integrated Design Approach for Public Toilets.

Jack Sim, Founder of World Toilet Organization, organiser of the event, said: “This Expo and Forum series is designed to meet the needs of the host country, hence, we are glad that the Thai authorities has taken ownership and shaped the programme so that it will be beneficial to the local audience. At the same time, the local perspective will be complemented by the views of experts from around the world, so delegates can expect a meaningful exchange of ideas and best practices.”

Lending an international perspective is a panel of speakers who are experts in their own field. Giving the keynote address will be Richard Pollard, Regional Team Leader, Water and Sanitation Programme – East Asia & The Pacific, World Bank . He will speak on the Global Efforts To Achieve the UN Millennium Development Goal – Where Are We Now?

Other presenters include:

Dr Michael Siu, President and Founder member of the Hong Kong Toilet Association, who will speak on Toilets for All: Accessible Toilet Design;
Kathryn Anthony, Professor and Chair of Design Programme Faculty, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who will give An Update on Public Restrooms in the USA and the American Restroom Association;
Mary Coakley, Public Restroom Advocate from the American Restroom Association, will contribute her ideas on Effective Design for Toilets in Places of Interest; and
Dr Lo Wing Lok, Vice President of Hong Kong Toilet Association and private medical practitioner, will enlighten delegates on Safeguarding the Health of Toilet Users.

Complementing the Forum is a platform for industry leaders such as TOTO, Kimberly Clark, Mitsubishi Electric, Pacific Waste Management Technology as well as COTTO, a joint venture between TOTO and the Thai government, to exhibit their latest products and services.

COTTO’s managing director, Mr Nibhondht Teeranartsin said: “We have been involved in several exciting projects to upgrade the toilet facilities in Thailand. In terms of sales volume, we have been leading sanitaryware industry in the country for more than seven years. The World Toilet Expo will be an excellent event for us to showcase our wide range of hardware and to network with our buyers and users.”

Some 100 participants are expected to showcase their leading-edge solutions and innovations for the improvement of toilets and hygiene standards to visitors. A thematic display will be put up by the Thai Ministry of Public Health at the Expo. It will feature three main areas:

an insight into the development of toilets in Thailand, starting with the history and cultural background of toilets in Thai society,
the present state of public toilets and
future plans and policies for the improvement of public toilet facilities and management.

Ms Sylvia Phua, Chief Executive Officer of MP Asia commented: “The World Toilet Expo & Forum is a key industry platform for the restroom industry and we are glad that the Thai government and the industry players have taken an active interest in supporting the initiative. We are confident that the event will provide a stimulating platform for learning about new trends, sourcing for cost-efficient solutions, networking and sharing of experiences among the different interest groups in the hygiene and toilet-related industries.”

The 2006 event is hosted by the Thailand Ministry of Public Health and co-hosted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Faculty of Public Health, Population and Community Development Association, and Thailand Environment Institute. It is supported by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, and 50 WTO member associations from 40 countries.

To exhibit or participate in the event, please contact MP Asia. For the latest updates on the World Toilet Expo & Forum 2006, please visit the event website at www.worldtoiletexpo.com

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For enquiries, please contact

Daphne Poon

Tel: +65 6393 0238

Fax: +65 6392 2905

Email: daphnepoon@mpinetwork.com