The Award

The Award for Outstanding Service and Commitment by a Woman recognizes women who, in their official capacity within AECEN member agencies, have demonstrated an outstanding level of leadership, commitment and service, and have distinguished themselves by exemplary contributions.  Awardees have a record of meritorious achievements, documented by superior accomplishments and contributions to the achievement of their agency’s objectives. The work of awardees advances the mission of the agency, and substantially contributes to the enhancement of the environment.

Winner of the 2009 Award

Dr. Monthip Sriratana Tabucanon, Principal Inspector General of Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, has 31 years of service holding various senior-level positions, including Deputy Permanent Secretary, and Director General of both the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion and the Pollution Control Department.  Dr. Monthip has demonstrated leadership in promoting environmental protection and sustainable development both at the national and international levels, often with a focus on promoting the role of women. 

Dr. Monthip was instrumental in establishing the Women’s Network on Natural Resources and Environment at Songkhla Lake Basin to ensure public involvement and improve the quality of life of women and indigenous people.  She helped establish the Women’s Action Network, Environmental Volunteer Network and Women’s Voice on Climate Change.  Under Dr. Monthip’s leadership, the Environmental Research and Training Center trained over 20,000 local officials to promote environmental enforcement and compliance.

To address environmental conflict, Dr. Monthip collaborated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2004 to establish the Center on Dispute Resolution in Thailand, which has trained over 1,000 practitioners, who work at the national and community levels to help resolve environmental conflicts.

At the international level, Dr. Monthip serves on the boards of the Stockholm Environment Institute, Institute of Global Environment Strategies, United Nations Centre for Regional Development, and United Nations University of Japan, and is also the Regional Councilor for South and East Asia for the International Union for Conversation of Nature (IUCN). 

The 2009 selection committee included: Hon. Justice Vijender Jain, former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court; Mr. Akio Morishima, Chair, Board of Directors of the Japan Climate Policy Center; and Dr. Herminia Francisco, Director of the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia.