The United States – Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) helps cities throughout Asia transform management systems and ensure that the urban environment is sustainable. ICMA, in coordination with the US – AEP, implemented a Resource Cities partnership between the Cities of Rayong, Thailand, and Portland, Oregon.
The partnership focused on financial management and the need to restore the Khod Por River Basin. Both components incorporated the need for greater inclusion and participation of the community. Citizen participation has increasingly gained political significance in Thailand at both the national and local levels, and Thailand has implemented policies that stress the need for citizens to become involved in policy debate.
Through the partnership, the city of Rayong created two citizen task forces to serve as an advisory council to the Rayong municipal government and the restoration of the Khod Por site. In addition, the partnership developed a financial manual to help Rayong develop and implement a multi-year budget and financial planning model.
A second partnership, between Portland and the cities of Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, and Phuket, sought to promote sustainable community development with citizen involvement.