I. On March 25, 2005, the NC and one member of NSC paid a visit to the project .The findings and observation are as follows:

The target village, Baan Nam Wa is situated in the fringe of the Mae Jarim National Park which is one of the 16 forest reserves in the Doi Phu Kha-Mae Yom complex. The complex covers the Nan watershed, one of the main four tributaries of the Gulf of Thailand?s Chao Phaya River. With 78 families and of ethnic minority ?Thin? , people here earn their living through practicing cash crop, mostly corn. Due to the hilly area and some other factors, the people do not grow rice. Majority of them have to trade wild products for rice for daily consumption. Water source for daily live is from the Wa River draining into the Nan River. On the Thai government standard, the village is rated as extremely poor. Even as it is situated in a remote mountainous area only about 15 km. from the Laotian border, the village is grid connected. The water from the river is pumped up for household use by grid power.

The solar water pumping facility was found completed and operational. Consisting of 14 sets of 120 ?wt PV panel, one submersible pumping set and piping system, it draws water from a small spring, not from the river, delivers to seven storage tanks, each about six cu.m, then releases water through piping for both daily household and small scale gardening use. The cost of water has been maintained at two Baht per cu.m. At the moment, the facility share the storage tanks and piping system with the existing grid pumping system.

Since installation of the facility was completed about one month ago, reduction in electricity bill for pumping had not been witnessed yet. According to other stakeholders, such as staff members of the adjacent organization Friend-for-Life Foundation and district officers, it was maintained that the reduction of electricity use for water pumping was definitely happening. However, villagers themselves were excited about what solar energy could do. In addition, Project leaders had showed increased capacity by relating some technical aspects of the system. Since its completion and first trial run, the facility had been already visited by other community members and students who were eager to learn about the new introduced technology.

II. The progress report was received on April 19 , 2005 (with photos):

Activities carried out:

1. Building capacity of community members by seminar and training on solar energy technology (Photo-voltaic)
2.Planning for collective installation and use of solar energy for community water pumping
3.Procuring one unit of solar water pumping system comprising 14 panels of 1.68 kW each and a pumping set
4. Putting to use the installed unit and keeping record of use and result of savings

Immediate outputs and results:

1. Increased capacity of 78 community members and 45 members of staff and students through training on solar energy for water pumping
2. Increased capacity of project leaders through meeting and sharing experience with past and current GEF/SGP-supports projects
3. Visitation from two groups: 20 members of Mae Jarim District Environment Network and the Mae Jarim District Chief
4. The pumping system working satisfactorily

In addition , the project had exhibited community willingness to protect forest ecosystems by demarcating community forest zones, and fresh water ecosystems by establishing no-fishing zone, evinced increased numbers of fishes which ,to some extent, contributed to global benefit.

Project Communication: This was done through local environment network in the district and meeting with GEF/SGP partners.

Note:

In addition, a letter dated 20/6/2548, describing progress on the project, was received from project leaders. The letter reported 80 % project completion and that the project had interested community members and public organizations. The remaining activity was the construction of fence , water storage well and piping system all of which were to be supported by the TAO. In a holistic manner, the Provincial Administrative Organization was to provide supports so that the project was able to generate optimum benefits. Followings are important events in the projects:

5 April 2005: Friend for Life Group for Development which was implementing an adjacent year-5 project ?Collective Conservation of Nam Wa River at Mae Jarim District? organized a forum for core community leaders in Baan Nam Wa after which 20 members had paid a visit to the solar water pumping project.

11 May 2005: Members of the Nan Provincial Administrative Organization, together with CEO of Nampharng TAO, the district clerk and reporters from ITV / Matichon newsapaper, visited the project. One member reported the visit to the PAO in a following meeting.

24 May 2005: Mr. Surapol Thiansoot, Deputy Managing Director of the PAO and Mr. Saneh, Yossri, member of PAO visited the project to enquire ,in detail, about the data & information of the project, which would be used in the proposal to upgrade the project as a pilot project for the Nan Province.
In conclusion, the enquiry covered the following issues:

1. How to efficiently use remaining energy
2. Proposing an up-scaling project as appropriate , e.g. highland agriculture
3. Enlarging raw water well for more storing capacity
4. Recommending community to propose plan through the member of PAO in their constituency ( Mae Jarim District)

At the first stage, the PAO would provide Baht: 100,000 for the raw water well. The filtering and storage tank ( 50 cu.m) was under design and cost estimate

6 June 2005: Launching field survey for raw water well development by the member of PAO and technical staff.

7 June 2005: Border Patrol Police Unit 32 in Nan Province visited the project so that experience would be applied to other remote communities in its responsible area.

III. The completion report was received on 23 July 2006 by hand with one photo album and electricity bills for 6 months showing reduction in use of grid electricity. The detail of report is as follows:

Activities carried out under project:

1.Building capacity of community members and youth group by seminar and training on solar energy technology (Photo-voltaic)
-2.Planning for collective installation and use of solar energy for community water pumping
3.Procuring one unit of solar water pumping system comprising 14 panels of 1.68 kW each and a pumping set
4.Putting to use the installed unit and keeping record of use and result of savings
5.Launching horticulture project in families and community school using water from the solar pump

Results:
- 80 families, one community school and one religious institute being able to use water from solar pump
- Reduction of grid electricity consumption from an average Baht: 1600/month to Baht: 400/month for six-month period after putting the solar pump in to use in parallel with grid electric pump.
-Certain amount of chemical-free vegetable being produced as food for community members
-Increased awareness on potential of solar energy and environment protection of 100 community members and youth
-Emergence of a reserved fund for water users resulting from the reduction of monthly utilities bills

Dissemination / Public Relation of project:

7 March 2006: The governor of Nan Province and his entourage of 30 persons visiting the project
8 June 2006: 32 members of Community Network for Rehabilitation of Kor Lanta , Krabi Province which was affected by Tsunami visiting the project to learn about what solar energy could do and share experience
24 July 2006: Together with two other GEF SGP-supported projects, the project was invited by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to share the project experience in the technical meeting on Climate Change and its effects on Thailand.

Participatory Evaluation: Conducted periodically but the final on 24 May 2006
Participants: 62 persons comprising project members, teachers, representatives from nearby GEF SGP projects in the province, from the
TAO , PAO (Provincial Administrative Organization) and concerned local government agencies
Methods: Open forum
Impact: 1. Evinced increased capacity on renewable energy , especially solar energy, among community members
2. Public sector being affected by project initiatives and its results as follows:
- The chief of district officer of Mae Jarim District offering himself as a project advisor
- The member of Nan Provincial Administrative Organization , Mae Jarim constituent coordinating further support
- NamPharng TAO providing financial support
Future Plan: The project planned to established itself as a learning place on renewable energy in the province