I. Progress report (June 30, 2013):
Activities undertaken:
1.Launching capacity building through survey & training
2. Launching demonstration of conservation activities through waste water treatment, monitor water quality, demarcation

Results of activities:
1. Confirmation of 30 model families to participate in demonstration activities to reduce waste from households, with increased awareness and technical capacity witnessed by capacity to launch water quality monitoring learnt from training courses, and to produce ionic plasma to use in reversing degradation activities
2. Formation of volunteer groups to launch water quality monitor as scheduled
3. Successful coordination with relevant agencies with secured sectorial roles

Project Visibility and Communication by other organizations/individuals:
On 16 Jun 2013, Khon Muang Media ( Radio and TV online) , www.khonmuang.org ,visited the project to interview the communities to upload onto its website and air in July 2013.

Emerging problems and issues:
1. A change on roles of some targeted population regarding demonstration, but was addressed by replacing with new community with similar context in targeted location
2. Technical complexity of training courses on measuring dissolved oxygen ? too much for targeted communities to easily absorb- this was addressed by replacing with volunteer youth group who possessed some technical background and were quick to learn
3. Different timelines of proposal development stage and approval resulting in delay of some activities, about 2 months, this was addressed by considering priority then adjusting other activities to be consistent with the entire project duration

Project experience and lessons learnt :
1.Coordinating with urban communities was not so smooth as planned, due to nature of urban livelihood. Therefore , in order to select communities to participate, care should be fully exercised to ensure smooth implementation.

2.During implementation, it was found that several project members, in spite of their old age, paid special attention during training and were very participatory. Therefore, age should not be a criteria in environment protection

Project expense:
The project reported the expense of THB: 139,334.5 out of the first disbursement of THB:249,511.32.

II. Project Site Visit (July 25, 2013):
Findings and Observation:
In order to get a clearer context of the river and project location, the visiting team was led to briefly visit Doi Sutheip-Pui National Park, situated just West of Chiangmai Provincial Town. The park was watershed of several small rivers ,including Krajae River, which converged into the Ping River of the greater River- the Choaphaya. As the time fell on a rainy season, water flowing from the ridge appeared clear and in good quality as indicated by a variety and variability of water species.

Following the course of the river, the visiting witnessed a general look of three of seven communities situated along it. These communities were included in urbanized area of Chiangmai Municipality. It was found that backgrounds and conservation awareness of each were different, so was the water quality and physical appearance of each. Some communities seemed to totally ignored the river, while others tried to care of solid waste management. Krajae River drained into a historically significant river, Mae Kha. Draining into Ping River, Mae Kha was strategically established several hundred years back when King Mengrai, the great was building Chiangmai City. Mae Kha River had continuously overseen by a back SGP project of phase 1, THA/98/G38: Ping River Protection.

There were 2 communities participating in taking care of Krajae River, i.e. Par Har Community and Chiangyuen Communities. The visiting team managed to visit Chiangyuen Communities in Chiangmai Municipality. According to project leaders, water quality in term of dissolved oxygen was about 1 and the figure was used as a baseline for an indicator of project accomplishment. Technical capacity building of the project was related as completed followed by production of ionic plasma and fabrication of 19 filter pits. Community members expressed their primary satisfaction with the ionic plasma which was able to reduce adverse effects of excessive nutrient running off to the river.

In spite of witnessed progress of the project, the visiting team and project leaders agreed that lots of problems remained to be addressed, especially reaching out to five other communities which did not fully participate in project activities. Project leaders, however, had managed to incorporate the project into the Six Northern Provincial Development Strategy Plan, where a proposal for a bigger funding of nearly THB: 1 million was submitted for approval to the province. The main activity of the proposal was to improve the scenery of the river in addition to the scope under the project and check against further encroachment. The distance under this proposal was about one kilometer.

III. Completion report (September 29, 2014):
Date of Participatory Evaluation(March 1, 2014 ):

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 68
Men: 24
Children: 25

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 8
Men: 6
Children: 2

Expense:
Amount received from SGP (2 disbursements): THB: 453,224.74
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: THB: 446,174.50
Balance: THB: (7,050.24)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 1,628.66
Amount Received from others: THB: 5,000 (in cash)
THB: 341,000 (in kind)

Activities undertaken:
1.Launching capacity building through survey & training
2. Launching demonstration of conservation activities through waste water treatment, monitor water quality, demarcation
3. Launching dissemination of project results
4. Launching participatory evaluation

Results and indicators:
1. Increase capacity of targeted population (30 families) witnessed by ability to build waste water filter pits for use and to monitor water quality
2. Project volunteers (30 members) performing activity to maintain water quality by ionic plasma every 15 days
3. Water quality being monitored and made public and being used as model for other location in Chiangmai Province-through collaboration with major stakeholders
4. Improved water quality witnessed by reduced unfavourable odours in the water and quantity of waste

Project Communication:
In addition to the previous communication, there was a communication through the FB of the grantee, and on 15 Aug 2013, Chiangmai University Radio Progrmme, FM 1000 aired the report, findings/observation of the visit to the project by staff members of the radio, including the interviews of community members.

Problems and Issues:
1. Measuring dissolved oxygen techniques were too complicate for communities to understand.
2. Political canvassing season prompted a limit participation thus caused slow-down or delay of activities
3. Abrupt change of CEO of a major stakeholder in Chiangmai resulted in limit cooperation and co-financing
These issues were addressed by
1. Having only the youth volunteer group to undertake the measuring.
2. Adjustment of man-power periodically by recruiting additional staff
3. Requesting communities to seek co-financing from other sources. This included writing-up proposal for additional grant.

Experience , Lessons Learnt :
The project related that
1. Coordination and participation received from targeted population were rather limited and difficult, in spite of earlier planned participatory approach. Selection of targeted population and location should have been done in a more detailed.
2. Age of targeted population was not a problem in participation. The project had several 80s and young ones. So, age should not be a criteria for participation.
3. Implementing any development activities in a highly political sensitive , such as Chiangmai, project leaders should plan before-hand more carefully to adjust plan and activities.


Plans and Activities for Sustainability:
Project leaders had managed to incorporate the project into the Six Northern Provincial Development Strategy Plan, where a proposal for a bigger funding of nearly THB: 1 million was submitted for approval to the province.