Hundreds of river managers from around the world are gathering in Thailand to discuss how best to meet growing food, water and energy needs while doing as little harm to the environment as possible.

The “Mekong2Rio” three-day, international conference opens Tuesday in the Thai resort of Phuket.

Hans Guttman, the leader of the Mekong River Commission, says the conference will enable the 300 participants to exchange ideas.

Guttman says the forum is an opportunity for the attendees to learn about other river basins and how to effectively manage their resources.

The Mekong River Commission is the inter-governmental body responsible for cooperation on the sustainable management of the Mekong Basin. Members include Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Representatives from Africa, Australia, Europe and the Americas are also attending the meeting.