A Welcome Message

Dr. Suriyan Tunkijjanukij
Chairman of the organizing committee of the symposium
Dean of Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Thailand

　　On behalf of the organizing committee of The First Asian Marine Biology Symposium, and Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Thailand, I would like to welcome all of you to the First Asian Marine Biology Symposium in Phuket, Thailand, from December 13th to 17th, 2012. This symposium is organized in collaboration with various institutions and associations in Asian countries. This symposium is a challenge to initiate a regular international symposium among marine biologists and marine environmental scientists in the Asian region as well as those in the European and American regions. In future, I hope that the symposium will grow fast and regularly catch the attention of many marine biologists and marine environmental scientists not only of Asian countries but also all over the world. Such activity will strengthen our academic society to have an efficient exchange of research information and will encourage collaboration among marine biologists working in a wide range of issues in marine biology in both regional and global scales.
　　After the meeting, a field trip will be organized to visit tidal habitats such as mangrove forest and mixed species of seagrass bed that will give all participants a good opportunity to observe diverse circumstances in flora and fauna of the tropical coast. Finally, I hope that all participants will greatly enjoy the first meeting for Asian Marine Biology, and also the blue sky and clear water in this fascinating season in Phuket. I look forward to seeing all of you soon at the symposium.