July 10, 2001

The Asian Development Bank’s Board of Directors authorized an independent panel of outside experts to inspect the Samut Prakarn Wastewater Management Project in Thailand.

The Asian Development Bank’s Board of Directors authorized an inspection of the Samut Prakarn Wastewater Management Project in Thailand. The inspection will be conducted by an independent panel of outside experts, who will determine whether ADB complied with its operational policies and procedures in designing and implementing the project. The inspection will be conducted under ADB’s Inspection Function policy, approved by ADB’s Board in December 1995.

The inspection follows a written request filed by three residents of the Klong Dan community, including the Mayor of Klong Dan, who allege that ADB failed to comply with its own policies, and that this failure may result in direct and material harm to the residents of Klong Dan.

This is the first inspection authorized by ADB. The inspection function was set up to provide people, claiming to be adversely affected by public sector ADB-financed projects, with an independent forum through which they can request that any perceived failure of ADB to act in accordance with its own policies and procedures be examined independently.

The Board’s authorization of an inspection does not imply any judgment that the alleged failure of ADB to comply with its own policies or procedures has, or has not been, established. It means that the matters raised by the requesters are arguable and should be examined by an independent panel of experts.

Under ADB’s inspection policy, the panel will carry out a thorough review of the facts of the claims, including whether the claims are substantiated. It will then report its findings to the Inspection Committee of ADB’s Board, which will forward the panel’s report, ADB’s Management’s response and its own recommendations to the Board, to decide what action to take.