Representatives from 24 Asian countries are due to meet in Bangkok later this

month to look at reducing natural disasters in the region.

The meeting is being organized by the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction

Secretariat in association with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission

for Asia and the Asian Disaster Preparedness center.

Organizers said that more than 27,000 people died in natural disasters in the region

in 1998 and more than $38 billion was lost.