The Twelweth Asian Conference on Remote Sensing
Singapore 30 October-5 November, 1991

Dr. Y.J. Chong making his opening address at the inaugural session.

Introduction

The Twelfth Asian Conference on Remote Sensing was held in Singapore, from October 30 to November 5, 1991. It was jointly organized by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS).

The 12th ACRS was also supported by Australian Space Office; Japan Association on Remote Sensing; NASDA (Japan); U.N. ESCAP RRSP; Scot Conceil (France); Spot Image (France); Swedish Space Corporation; The Bercha Group (Canada); ERSI South Asia (Singapore).

Objectives

The objectives of the 12th ACRS were to exchange academic and technical information; to promote operational applications and to discuss Asian problems in Remote Sensing

A group of participants at the welcome reception.

Participants

A large number of participants from Asian and non-Asian countries and organisations participated in the 12th ACRS. The countries included Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Britain, Brunei, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Libya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Thailand U.S.A. and Vietnam. Representatives from FAO and UN ESCAP participated as observers.

Scientific Sessions

Scientific Papers were orally presented in 12 Sessions. In addition, many papers were also presented in 3 poster sessions. The texts of the papers were published in 2 volumes in the Proceedings of the 12th ACRS. There were three plenary sessions discussing topics on Remote Sensing. NASDA also conducted a Workshop on Data Service to Asian Countries.

Exhibition

12th ACRS was the exceptionally large exhibition. There were very interesting exhibitions by Japan's NASDA and RESTEC as well as by commercial companies based in Singapore. However, the majority of the exhibitors came from non-Asian countries like Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Netherlands, Sweden, and U.S.A.

Opening Session

The 12th ACRS was formally opened at the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organisation's Regional English Language Centre in Singapore, in the presence of invited guests and all the participants of the ACRS.

Professor Chong Yean Joo of NUS, Chairman of the Organising Committee expressed his warm welcome to the distinguished assembly. The session was addressed by officials of NUS and AARS. Messages from the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs; and the Executive Secretary of U.N. ESCAP were also read.

Welcome Address

"To all our distinguished guests and participants, may we extend to you a very warm welcome. We thank you for having taken the time to grace the Opening Ceremony of the 12th ACRS. We are greatly honoured by your presence.

The majority of the participants have come to Singapore from other countries, some near, and some very far away. We hope that they would find the Conference and the Exhibition worthy of the trouble that they have taken to come. We wish them a fruitful Conference and a most pleasant stay in Singapore.

The ACRS was initiated to make it easier for the Asian remote sensing community to meet and to interact with each other within Asia. It has thus stimulated the rapid growth of remote sensing activities in Asia.

The success of the ACRS gave the organisers in Singapore the courage to venture to host the UNDP/FAO/ESCAP Seminar and Exhibition on Remote Sensing in June 1985. Singapore was also the venue for the Seminar "Spot Meeting the Users' Needs: A Commercial Challenge", in December 1987.

We sincerely hope that the 12th ACRS would provide the participants with a conducive environment for the exchange of information and for the enhancement of a network of friendship. These would be very important ingredients to facilitate the continued rapid growth in the applications of remote sensing technology for the benefit of the people of Asia.

Contributors

Y.J. Chong Chairman, Organising Committee 12th ACRS