GREENPEACE TO STRENGTHEN PRESENCE IN ASIA - BANGKOK OFFICE SET TO OPEN

7 February 2000

BANGKOK/AMSTERDAM - – Greenpeace, one of the world's biggest environmental groups, intends to strengthen its presence in Asia by establishing an office for South East Asia based in Bangkok, Thailand. South East Asia includes Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

"South East Asia has emerged as a key arena in the battle to save the planet. Ecological security for the planet will not be won without Asian involvement. The challenge for Greenpeace is to encourage South East Asia not to make the environmental mistakes of the West, by using inappropriate and environmentally destructive technologies," said Greenpeace International Executive Director Thilo Bode.

The announcement was made today at the arrival of the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior in Bangkok.

"As soon as formal procedures are complete we propose to establish a permanent base in Bangkok to support our already active energy and toxic campaigns in the region," said Lyn Goldsworthy, South East Asia Project Director.

"Thailand was chosen as a base due to its central location in the region, political influence and strong civil society", added Goldsworthy.

Greenpeace is currently in Thailand with the Rainbow Warrior as part of the Toxic Free Asia Tour. The campaign aims to expose polluters, dirty technology transfer and highlight the need for clean production.

"Thailand is still well placed to avoid dirty technologies such as incineration with only two facilities currently operating. However, some foreign governments, aid agencies and industry promoters take this as a marketing opportunity to sell expensive and polluting incinerators," said Tara Buakamsri, Greenpeace Toxic Campaigner in Thailand.

"We call on the Thai government to reject foreign funding for new incinerators and place a moratorium on all new incineration projects. Instead we need to invest in waste prevention, source separation, composting and recycling. The incineration is simply an expensive technology which transforms potentially recyclable materials into hazardous waste," said Buakamsri.

After Bangkok, Greenpeace’s Toxic Free Asia Tour takes the Rainbow Warrior to the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Lyn Goldsworthy, South East Asia Project Manager for Greenpeace Tel: +61 412 300 642, in English;
- Tara Buakamsri, Greenpeace Toxic Campaigner in Thailand, Tel: +66 1 550013;
- Auaiporn Suthanthonyakorn, media relations in Thailand, Tel: +66 1 8207006;
- Teresa Merilainen, Greenpeace International, Press Officer Tel: +31 625 031001.

Pictures will be available from Greenpeace, John Novis, Tel: +31 20 524 9580;

Follow Greenpeace's Toxic Free Asia Tour on the web: www.greenpeace.org/~toxics/toxfreeasia/