On behalf of Mr. Arnold Wang, the Chairman of THE 18TH ASF Annual General Meeting (AGM), it is my pleasure to inform you that the preparation for the meeting is making in a good progress. THE 18TH ASF will be held at the “Evergreen Plaza Hotel, Tainan (ANNEX 1- Hotel Map) which is adjacent to the north Port of Kaohsiung and takes about 40 minutes by car from Kaohsiung International Airport (KIA) to the Hotel. The attendance could either fly directly to KIA, or transfer to KIA from Hong Kong、Macau International Airport or the Taoyuan International Airport (former CKS International Airport) which is adjacent to the south City of Taipei. For the other alternative, the attendance could also take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from HSR Taoyuan or HSR Taipei Station to HSR Tainan Station, it takes about 80 minutes or 100 minutes by HSR plus 20 minutes by car to the Hotel. Certainly we will arrange ASF shuttle service for all of you comfortably, back and forth, to reinforce the transportation system during the whole Forum period, base on your informed schedule of the Arrival/Departure Flight Number to/from Kaohsiung International Airport, or informed schedule of the Arrival/Departure HSR Train Number to/from HSR Tainan Station.

With regard to the tentative program, basically we follow the practice established during THE 17TH ASF in Boao.

Enclose herewith the Outline of Activities (Annex 2) and Plenary Session 1 and 2 Agenda (Annex 3) for your easy reference during the whole Forum period.

Enclose herewith a form of the Delegates and Accompanying Persons List for THE ASF 13 Associations (Annex 4), Please return the information to this office not later than 15 April 2009 in order to make the preparation work for the 18TH ASF more smoothly. Your assistance will be highly appreciated.

We have made a tentative block booking at the Evergreen Plaza Hotel, Tainan.

Please let this office know about each Delegates’ and Accompanying Persons’ hotel room and food requirements not later than 15 April 2009 by submitting Hotel Room Registration Form (Annex 5) to this office. Your cooperation on this matter will be very much appreciated. If any of your attendance would prefer to stay at an alternative place, please notify us of their arrangements in due course.

Enclose herewith an Activities Registration Form (Annex 6) for all attendance. We will be most grateful if you could kindly request your attendance to indicate which activities they would like to participate and return the information to this office not later than 15 April 2009. Your cooperation on this matter is highly appreciated.

As you can see from the Outline of Activities in (Annex 2), all attendance are requested to check in hotel in accordance with the Activities Registration Form (Annex 6) which you had indicated or before the evening of Monday 25 May 2009 at the latest, because an ASF Welcome Reception will begin at 18:30 of Monday 25 May 2009 at B1 Cheers Hall of the Evergreen Plaza Hotel, Tainan.

The ASF 5th Chairmen Meeting will be held from 14:00 to 15:30 on Monday 25^th May 2009 at 3F Swan Hall of the Evergreen Plaza Hotel, Tainan. Chairman and Secretary General of the ASF 8 Member Associations, Chairman of the SSA, ASF PO Secretary General, and their secretaries will attend the meeting and the meeting will be presided over by the 18TH ASF AGM Chairman Mr. Arnold Wang.

Following the current practice of the ASF:

Following the current practice of the ASF, we would be very much appreciated if the 5“S” Committee Secretariat could prepare the Committee Documents and Chairman’s   Report and email to THE ASF PO with cc to this office not later than 15 April 2009 for us to compile AGM documents for THE 18TH ASF.

All delegates are requested to attend the Plenary Session 1 and 2 of THE 18TH ASF AGM, which will be started from 10:00 on 26 MAY 2009 at 3F Regency Ballroom I&II(Banquet Hall)of the Evergreen Plaza Hotel, Tainan. Mr. Arnold Wang will preside the whole Session, and each Chairman of The 5“S” Committee will kindly be asked to co-preside the discussion on each Committee Issues at the Plenary Session. Approximately 30 minutes will be allocated for each Committee in the Plenary Session.

Chairman of 5”S” Committee, 5”S” committee Commentators and THE ASF PO Secretary General please be seated on the inner line in front of main stage of the Regency Ballroom.

A Press Conference will be held from 16:30 to 17:30 on 26 May 2009 at 3F Swan Hall of the Evergreen Plaza Hotel, Tainan. Chairman and Secretary General of THE ASF 8 Member Associations, ASF PO Secretary General, Chairman of the 5“S” Committee, and their secretaries will attend the Press Conference. This Conference will be chaired by Mr. Arnold Wang.

A sightseeing tour with lunch will be arranged for Accompanying Persons from 08:00 on 26 May 2009 in concurrence with THE 18TH ASF AGM. For this, please refer to the Outline of Activities (Annex 2).

Please inform this office about the attendance participation information not later than 15 April 2009 by completing the Activities Registration Form (Annex 6).

From 07:00 on 27 May 2009, there will be a Friendly Golf Game for Golfers. The Golf Course is located at Tainan County for about 40 minutes distance by coach from the Hotel. Please inform this office about the attendance participation information and requirements not later that 15 April 2009 by completing the Activities Registration Form (Annex 6) and (Annex 7) for those who wish to rent golf club set.

As a customary with the previous Forum, NACS will produce a Commemorative Album for THE 18TH ASF. In order to make a necessary preparation for the Album, we need your cooperation and assistance as follows :

It will be very much appreciated if the Chairman/President of THE ASF 13 Associations could kindly contribute a brief message together with a passport size color photograph with name on it.

All delegates will be requested to send a passport size color photograph with name on it.

For all the above information and photos, please kindly send us by email before 15 April 2009 in order to facilitate the process of THE 18TH ASF Album.

For attendance who need the Invitation Letter from NACS to apply VISA,

Please complete the form of Annex 8 and return to this office in due course.

Recommend public dress with no tie through the Forum, including THE ASF Welcome Reception and ASF Dinner in the evening of 25 and 26 May 2009.

Mostly clear climate in May of Tainan and the temperature will be around 25C to 35C.

NACS has set up a web page for THE 18TH ASF in our website. You may find the full information of the arrangement at “www.nacs.org.tw”.

Delegate who wish to make presentation by power point, please inform this office prior to the schedule of the event, in order for us to have enough time to cope our power point system with your computer system.

In case of any doubts, please feel free to contact THE NACS 24 Hours Service Phone Number 886 – 930898497.  NACS is always here to serve you.