Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been honored with a United Nations award for his work in reducing pollution in Bangkok's canals and other environment projects. The Habitat Scroll of Honor Award - a hand-crafted gold plaque - was formally presented to the king a week ago, on 25 February 2004, at his palace in Hua Hin by Anna Tabaijuka, an undersecretary general of the United Nations. It is the highest award conferred by the United Nations to individuals, projects or institutions in recognition of significant contributions to improving human settlements.

It is normally presented every October at a ceremony marking World Habitat Day. Since protocol does not allow the king to travel to receive such awards, the United Nations brought it to Thailand to be presented in private. The Habitat Scroll of Honor accompanied with a special citation recognizing the king's "outstanding contribution to improving water resource management in Thailand."

It says the royal Pa Sak River Basin Development Project, initiated and encouraged by the king, has reduced water pollution in Bangkok and other major cities of central Thailand while other projects have targeted the management of floods and the salinization of water resources in the south. UN undersecretary general Tibaijuka said "The comprehensive and integrated nature of his Majesty's royal development projects is a lesson to all of us eager to protect our natural environment." (Source: ENN: Environmental News Network)