WTO

Now we all know that NATO conference is due to be held in Riga later this month, and I have no doubt that nearer the time a great deal of comment will be made on this subject. However as we speak the WTO conference is being held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Now as those who have followed this blog since its inception, I have been know to stray from the the main objective of this blog, namely living in Riga, to ponder on more worldly events, and have in the past touched on the subject of human ablutions, particularly when a conference was held in Ireland last year on this subject.

So now the WTO ( World Toilet Organisation) is hosting another such event.

I wonder if members wear a badge ? as most such worldly organisations have members badges, must be hard to keep a straight face when explaining what you are a member of ?

For your edification I show below a sample of the conference forum, along with a selection of the delegates attending - make for interesting reading.

Forum Programme

DAY ONE, 16 NOVEMBER

8.45am Opening Address
Mr. Jack Sim, Founder, World Toilet Organization, Singapore ( could he be a relation ?)

9.20am Prize Presentation Ceremony
§ Best Public Toilet of The Year, Thailand
§ Most Environmentally-Friendly & Healthy Public Toilet Design in Thailand
§ Best Toilet Essay Competition (I wonder if you have to write it in a toilet)

12.55pm The Happy Toilet - By Design & Not By Chance (A happy Toilet ???)
Mr. Tai Ji Choong, Head, South-East Regional Office, National Environment Agency, Singapore

TRACK 1: ECOLOGICAL SANITATION

3.00pm Closing the Loop (???) Through Ecological Sanitation
Ms. Christine Werner, Civil Engineer, Project Team Leader, Eco-technological Planning, Wastewater, Solid Waste Projects

DAY TWO, 17 NOVEMBER

TRACK 4: SAFETY


3.35pm Public Toilet – Thinking Out of the Box ( What box )
Mr. Mechai Viravaidya, Chairman, Population & Community Development Association, Thailand

4.15pm Accident Prevention and Safety Promotion in Public Toilets
Dr. Twisuk Punpeng, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand

4.35pm Panel Discussion:Toileting At Ease, Maintaining A Breeze (who thought of this title ?)
Moderator: Dr. Twisuk Punpeng, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand

and a selection of delegates :

Company - Country
American Restroom Association (ARA) - USA
George's Plumbing - Australia
Hong Kong Toilet Association - Hong Kong
National Toilet Committee Members & Toilet Alliance - Thailand
Shanghai Toilet Association - China
World Toilet Organization / Restroom Association of Singapore - Singapore

Apologies to all blog readers that this particular entry has absolutely nothing to do with Riga or Latvia, but in a world full of strife, war, religious bigotry, I find it refreshing that a conference can be held on such a subject, it would certainly be interesting to to be able to listen on the delegates discussions when they sit at the bar enjoying a tipple.