Defining and Managing River Boundaries and International Rivers: Professional Training Workshop 8-10 May 2024
8 May 2024 - 10 May 2024
9:00AM - 4:00PM
The Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
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£2,250 per person
IBRU Professional Training Workshop on river boundaries taking place in Bangkok, Thailand
Boats on the Mekong River Image courtesy of DEZALB from Pixabay
Workshop Details
Three quarters of the world’s international land boundaries follow rivers for at least part of their course. In addition, nearly 300 river basins are shared by two or more states. Both the definition of river boundaries and the management of shared rivers generate a multitude of legal, technical, and functional challenges, for which no instruction manual has yet been written.
This unique course is designed to help governments and boundary practitioners develop effective strategies for turning river boundaries and international rivers into assets rather than a source of friction between the riparian states. Led by expert tutors with extensive practical experience of resolving problems associated with shared rivers, the workshop will cover issues such as: defining and demarcating river boundaries; identifying key river features such as the thalweg, the ‘main channel’ and the ‘banks’; islands in boundary rivers; monitoring and accommodating physical changes in river boundaries; managing access and resource use in shared rivers; and resolving disputes over river boundaries and international rivers. The workshop will combine instruction in the principles and practice of river boundary definition and management, detailed case studies and practical exercises.
Workshop Flyer
IBRU Workshop Flyer Rivers May 2024
Workshop Tutors
Mr Songchai Chaipatiyut
Deputy Director-General, Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
Mr. Sophearin Chea
Chief River Basin Planner at the Mekong River Commission Secretariat
Dr Riley Denoon
Barrister, Solicitor and Independent Legal Consultant, Transboundary & International Environmental and Watercourse Resources, British Columbia, Canada
Professor Martin Pratt
Director, Bordermap Consulting Ltd
Professor Alan D. Ziegler
Faculty of Fisheries Technology and Aquatic Resources, Maejo University, Thailand
Representative of the Mekong River Commission (to be confirmed)
Workshop Programme
Wednesday 8 May
Introduction
- River boundaries around the world
- Why rivers are chosen as boundaries
- Challenges associated with river boundaries
River systems and their complexity
- The fluvial system
- The river continuum
- Channel dynamics
- The significance of timescales
River boundary definition
- The legal framework
- Where in the river is the boundary located?
- Implications of changes in boundary rivers
- Islands in boundary rivers
- Interpreting terms used in river boundary definition (thalweg, main channel, bank, median line, source, confluence, tributary, etc)
Practical exercise
Working with maps and other geographical data, participants will
attempt to identify the alignment of a number of river boundaries
Thursday 9 May
The utilisation of boundary rivers and international rivers
- Navigational uses and rules
- Non-navigational uses and rules
- Rights and responsibilities of upstream and downstream states
Case study: Thailand’s experience of defining and managing
river boundaries
Case study: the Mekong River Commission
- purpose, structure and activities
- collaboration with stakeholders
- successes, failures and lessons learned
Practical exercise
Working in teams, participants will seek to agree an equitable river
boundary regime between two fictional states
Friday 10 May
Locating and analysing river boundaries
- Map data
- Remotely-sensed imagery
- Challenges in surveying river boundaries
Resolving disputes related to river boundaries
- State practice
- Case law
- Options for third-party assistance in dispute resolution
Managing river boundaries
- Management challenges
- From demarcation to management: the evolving role of boundary commissions
- Conflict prevention
What is included in the workshop cost
In addition to tuition and all course materials, the fee covers the following:
- Lunch and refreshment breaks
The Venues
The Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/bkksi-royal-orchid-sheraton-hotel-and-towers/overview/
Accommodation
Please note, accommodation is not included in the workshop fee. You will need to book your own accommodation.
Accommodation is available at an agreed rate with the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel.
A booking link will be provided to book your accommodation once you have reserved you place on the workshop if you wish to stay at this hotel.
Travel
You are expected to organise your own travel arrangements to Thailand. Please be aware that if you require a visa to visit the Kingdom of Thailand, you will be required to apply for your own visa for entry in to the country. Please allow enough time for your visa to be processed before the start of the workshop. A letter on invitation can be provided to support your visa application.
Language
Teaching and workshop materials will be in English.
Cancellation
Cancellations must be received in writing not later than the 24 April 2024 and will be subject to a £250 cancellation fee, unless a substitute participant is offered. After this date the full registration fee will be charged for all cancellations.
Programme changes
IBRU reserves the right to modify the programme as necessary, without notice to participants.
Reduced Workshop Rate for LDC list countries
For countries on the United Nations Least Developed Countries (LDC) list, the cost of the workshop will be £1,250 per participant.
NOTE: Places will be restricted to only 2 places per LDC country per workshop at this reduced rate. Any additional places will be available at the full cost price. Places will be available on a first come first served basis.
Pricing
Cost
The cost of the workshop will be £2,250 per participant. (£1,250 pp LDC rate). Payment can only be accepted in £ sterling by BACS or by major credit and debit cards. Full payment must be received prior to the workshop.