The Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program, initiated in 1974 with five Asean countries and Japan, will sail over to twenty-eighth Program in the first year of 21st century.

With the full participation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Program in 1996 and of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Union of Myanmar in 1998, followed by participation of the youth of the Kingdom of Cambodia in 1999, our SSEAYP family has extended over to Asean Ten. As of the year 2000, the total number of ex-participating youth amounts to 5,863 in Asean and 997 in Japan --and 195 national leaders.

Since our alumni activities are intended to deepen mutual understanding, friendship and goodwill between former participating youth, the seven Alumni
Associations have taken turns, at least once in the past thirteen years, to host this annual grand reunion of the SSEAYP family to further promote our cherished friendship and to make new friends.

Here in Bangkok, we would like to exchange our views to embark on a new on-line network and to cope with a burgeoning digital gap between haves and havenots with the advent of sweeping IT revolution at the computer network workshop. We are planning to extend our international eco-tour activities in the face of global warming and environmental change as part of our travel network project. We will also make a first attempt to expand our valuable and resourceful network in the age of globalization at a newly established human resource network workshop.

I would like to give my deep gratitude to ASSEAY Thailand for their strenuous efforts to prepare hosting this Bangkok SIGA and to National Youth Bureau for their heartfelt support. We will definitely stand a great chance, in an excellent program on the Andaman Princess, of not only recollecting our memories and younger mindset on board the Nippon-maru but renewing our original aspirations and intentions.

Masahide Morita
Secretary General SSEAYP International