Memorandum: The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) is a voluntary association of fee-paying individuals and corporate members.  The Association is defined by the Memorandum and Rules of Association of the IAH (IAH Rules) adopted at the XXIV General Assembly in Oslo in June 1993. 

ARTICLE 1

Definition and Aims

• The name of the Society shall be known as the “Thai Hydrogeology Association (IAH Chapter Thailand)”, abbreviated to “HAT”, and hereafter referred to as “HAT”

• The symbol of HAT shown below can be described as “A rectangular with white bold curve drawn from the near bottom left corner to near top right corner dividing the rectangular into two parts.  The top part of the symbol is in reddish brown color while the bottom is in bright blue embedded with letters HAT in the middle.  The name of HAT in Thai is also written at the bottom right corner of the symbol.”

• Its place of business shall be at “The Department of Groundwater Resources, Department of Environmental Quality Promotion Building, 49 Soil Aree-Sampan 30, Rama VI Road, Samsen-Nai, Phyathai, Bangkok, Thailand 10400”

• HAT shall have as its aims:

• To promote the hydrogeological activities and cooperation which further groundwater science and technology among scientists, regulators, groundwater-related private sector, and any persons who share the same interest in groundwater-related issues.

• To encourage the development of groundwater issues in Thailand and provide a link between the international groundwater community and hydrogeologists in Thailand to maximize the benefits of the country in economy, social, and environment.

• Collaboration with other groups in Thailand concerned with international and national water-related activities

• HAT will not be involved in any politics 

ARTICLE 2

Membership Qualification and Rights

• The membership of HAT shall consist of the following:
• Individual Members

Individual members are persons who subscribe to the objective of HAT and pay regular annual membership fee. 

• Corporate Members

Corporate members are any group, company, corporation, or institution who subscribe to the objective of HAT and pay regular annual membership fee. 

• Student Members

Student members are persons who currently are holding a student status in any academic institutions and are willing to subscribe to the objective of HAT and pay regular annual membership fee.

• Honorary Members

Honorary members are persons whose national and/or international standing in hydrogeology, geosciences, or groundwater-related issues, or whose services to the society are recognized by HAT and are appointed by the General Meeting with the approval of the Council.

• A person who can apply for a membership of HAT shall possess the following qualifications:
• Be at least 20 years of age
• Be a good citizen
• Be in good health
• Not be charged in any crime
• For corporate members, the group/company/corporation/organization/institution interested in applying for HAT membership must be a juristic person under Thai law.

• Entrance fees, memberships and other dues shall be categorized as follows:
• Individual Members
• Entrance fee 100 baht
• Annual membership fee 500 baht or
• Life-time membership fee 2,500 baht

• Corporate Members
• Entrance fee 100 baht
• Annual membership fee 1,000 baht or
• Life-time membership fee 5,000 baht

• Student Members
• Annual membership fee 50 baht

• Honorary Members
• No fee

• A person can apply for HAT membership by completing an application form and submitting it to HAT Secretary General.  The applications will be considered in the next available council meeting.

• If the application gets approved, the Secretary General will inform the applicant immediately.  If HAT does not within 30 days after the date of the receipt of the notification of approval, the application may be dropped and the member will be recommended to reapply.

• The honorary membership status shall begin on the date that HAT Secretary General receives an acceptance from the honorary member.

• The membership of a member shall cease in the following circumstances:

• The death of the member
• The resignation of the member (a notice in writing must be submitted to the council for an approval and the member must reconcile any debts with HAT before leaving)
• Failure to satisfy Article 2-7.
• Voting out at the general meeting or council meeting
• Failure to pay the membership fee to HAT more than 2 years consecutively

• Membership rights and tasks
• A member is entitled to all the benefits provided by HAT
• A member is entitled to discuss on the topics related to HAT business
• A member is entitled to attend an annual general meeting
• A member is entitled to request to audit HAT’s financial accounts
• At other times, an Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the President on the request in writing of not less than 1/3 of the total voting membership
• Only individual members shall have the right to vote and be nominated for the president or council member in the election
• A member shall obey the constitution strictly
• A member shall behave appropriately
• A member shall cooperate and be supportive to the activities organized by HAT
• A member shall participate in any kinds of activities organized by HAT
• A member shall further promote HAT’s reputation

ARTICLE 3

Management and Committee

• The administration of HAT shall be entrusted to the Council comprising of an Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee consists of at least 10, not to exceed 20 HAT members as follows:
• President: the president shall chair all General and Council meetings.  He/She shall also represent HAT in its dealings with outside persons
• Vice-President: the Vice-president shall perform duties prescribed by the President or the Committee, assist the President, and deputise for him/her when necessary
• Secretary General: the Secretary General shall keep all records, except financial, of HAT and shall be responsible for their correctness.  The Secretary will be responsible for preparing minutes of meetings and other general administrative work.
• Treasurer: the Treasurer shall keep all fund and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of HAT and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness.  He/she shall present regular annual accounts.
• A Registrar Officer: the Registrar Officer shall maintain an up-to-date register of members at all times.  He/she shall be in charge of collecting entrance and membership fee from members.
• Other Committee Members may be appointed as appropriate, but not to exceed 20 people in total as described above.

• For the election of HAT Executive Committee, it shall be done at the annual general meeting.  The president candidate may be nominated among the presence HAT members with at least 10 supporting HAT members.  Election will be by ballot, and the candidate who receives the highest votes wins the election.  Once the president is elected, he/she will appoint other Executive Committee Members according to Article 3-13.  The appointed Executive Committee will be notified to HAT members within 30 days after the annual general meeting.

• The Executive Committee may appoint any advisory committee as necessary during its term.

• The Executive Committee shall serve for a term of two years for the maximum of two consecutive terms.  The official term starts from the date the president is elected at the Annual General Meeting and the tasks will be distributed to the Executive Committee within 45 days from the day of an election.

• The status of a Executive Committee member shall cease in the following circumstances:

• The end of term
• The death of that member
• The resignation of the member
• Failure to satisfy Article 2-7.

• The status of the entire Executive Committee shall cease before the term in the following circumstances:

• The resignation of the entire Executive Committee
• Voting out at the General Meeting

Note:

• The Executive committee member who wishes to resign must submit a notice of resignation in writing to the president for an approval and his/her status shall be terminated immediately upon the receipt of the resignation letter by the president.
• The remaining Executive committee members must replace the vacant post as soon as possible.  The replacing member shall serve until the end of the term.
• If the President chooses to resign, the Vice-President shall deputise for his/her absence until the end of the term.

• Authority and Functions of the Executive Committee are as follows:
• To discipline members of HAT in accordance with the Constitution and the Regulations
• To set the appropriate entrance fee, membership fee, and all other additional funds required for special purposes payable for HAT
• To appoint or suspend any HAT officers
• To appoint the Advisory Committee or Sub-Committee during its term
• To call for an annual general meeting and an extraordinary general meeting
• To appoint representatives of HAT as well as other committee for specific purposes
• To generally undertake all necessary efforts and functions to achieve the stipulated aim and objectives of HAT
• To decide on all matters concerning the management and administration of HAT
• To convene an extraordinary general meeting on the request in writing of at least one-third of the total HAT members within 30 days after the date of the receipt of the written request
• To prepare and keep track of all HAT-related document.  The document should be systematically prepared and stored and should be ready to present to HAT members upon request.
• To prepare minutes of the general meetings and distribute to HAT members
• An Executive Committee meeting shall be held at least 2 times a year after seven days’ notice to Executive Committee members.
• At least one-half of the Executive Committee members must be present at the Executive Committee meeting shall form a quorum.  The final resolution shall be declared by a majority of the Executive Committee members.  In the event of a tie, the chairman shall declare the final decision.
• If the President and the Vice-President are absent from the Executive Committee Meeting, one of the committee member shall be elected to deputise as the chairman of the meeting.

ARTICLE 4

General Meetings

• There are two types of General Meetings:
• An Annual General Meeting
• An Extraordinary General Meeting

• An Annual General Meeting of HAT shall be held once a year in March upon a date and time to be fixed by the Executive Committee.

• An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened upon an approval of the Executive Committee or the request in writing of at least one third of the total HAT members within 30 days after the date of the receipt of the written request

• A notice of Annual General Meeting and the particulars of the agenda to be transacted shall be sent to all HAT members at least fifteen days before the meeting.

• The agenda of the Annual General Meeting shall consist of:

• To approve minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and of any extraordinary general meetings held in the previous year
• To announce the annual report with HAT’s preceding year activities
• To announce the preceding year’s accounts and auditor’s report (if any)
• To elect the new President at the end of term
• To appoint an external auditor at the end of term
• Others as necessary that members may raise for discussion at the discretion of the President

• At least one-third of the total voting membership or 20 voting members, whichever is the lesser, present at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall form a quorum.  In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of a General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned.  For an Annual General Meeting, the next meeting shall be scheduled within 14 days and should the number then present be considered insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum.  For an Extraordinary General Meeting convened per request of any HAT member, the meeting shall be cancelled automatically.

• The final resolution shall be endorsed by a majority of HAT’s voting members.  In the event of a tie, the chairman shall declare the final decision.

• If the President and the Vice-President are absent from an Annual General Meeting, one of the voting members shall be elected to deputise as the chairman of the meeting.

ARTICLE 5

Finance, Funds, and Assets

• HAT may have an income from:
• Membership entrance and membership fee
• Soliciting
• HAT’s activities
• Interest from funds in HAT’s accounts

• The Executive Committee shall take care of all finance, funds, and assets that belong to HAT.  All cash shall be deposited in bank accounts to be named by the Executive Committee.

• Cheques or withdrawal of funds on behalf of HAT shall be signed by the President (or designated person with valid power of attorney) and the treasurer (or designated person with valid power of attorney).

• The President can authorize the expenditure of a sum not exceeding 50,000 Thai baht (Fifty thousand baht) per time from HAT’s funds related to HAT’s affairs.  An expenditure of a sum 50,000 (Fifty thousand baht) - 200,000 Thai baht (Two hundred thousand baht) shall be approved by the Executive Committee.  Other than that must be approved from the General Meeting.

• The Treasurer shall not keep more than 10,000 Thai baht (Ten thousand baht) in the form of cash and money in excess of this amount shall be deposited in HAT’s bank accounts.

• The Treasure shall keep all fund and collect and disburse all money on behalf of HAT and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible of their correctness.  Every monetary transaction must be associated with a proper receipt.

• The financial year shall begin on 1 January and end on 31 December.

ARTICLE 6

Amendments to Constitution and Dissolution

• No alteration or addition/deletion to this Constitution shall be made except at a General Meeting where more than one-half of the total voting memberships must be present and with the consent of two-third of the voting members present at the General Meeting.

• HAT shall not be dissolved, except at a General Meeting where more than one-half of the total voting memberships of HAT must be present and with the consent of not less than three-quarter of the voting members present at the General Meeting.

• In the event of HAT being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of HAT shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be disposed of in such manner as the General Meeting of members may determine or donated to an approved charity or charities in Thailand.

ARTICLE 7

Transitory Provision

• This Constitution shall be effective on the date that HAT is registered as a juristic person under Thai law.

• All the founders of HAT shall be considered individual members and the appointed Executive Committee status shall begin on the date that HAT becomes a juristic person under Thai law.