Environmental issues in Thailand 4243426 221067262 2008-06-22T22:31:24Z Rjwilmsi 203434 gen fixes + format *date= in cite news/web/paper templates - full explanation [[User:Rjwilmsi#My_correction_of_dates_in_templates|here]] using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] Over the past few decades, Thailand's dramatic economic growth has produced new environmental challenges in this once-agrarian society. The country now faces problems with [[air pollution|air]] and [[water pollution]], declining wildlife populations, [[deforestation]], [[soil erosion]], water scarcity, and [[hazardous waste]] issues. ==Air Pollution== Industrial growth has created high levels of air pollution in Thailand. Vehicles and factories contribute to air pollution, particularly in Bangkok.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/EXTEAPREGTOPENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:20266329~menuPK:537827~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:502886,00.html |title=Environment in East Asia and Pacific|accessdate=2007-06-07 |publisher=The World Bank}}</ref> [[Image:Scooters Bangkok Nana.jpg|thumb|right|Motorcycles at the Nana intersection, Bangkok]] '''Sources of Air Pollution''' * Vehicles &mdash; motorcycles make up around 75% of the vehicles on the road in Thailand; diesel trucks and buses also contribute many pollutants. * Industry &mdash; Bangkok and the rest of the [[Central Thailand|Central Region]] contribute between 60 and 70 percent of the country’s industrial emissions. * Power plants &mdash; most energy production relies on burning of [[fossil fuels]] * Agricultural burning * Garbage burning * Open cooking * Forest fires Burning in southeast Asia often creates a [[haze]]. In 2002 Thailand joined an agreement with the [[Association of Southeast Asian Nations]] to reduce the haze from forest fires, but issues throughout the region are still common.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=354&ArticleID=4309&l=en |title=UNEP Congratulates ASEAN on Fire Haze Agreement |publisher=United Nations Environment Programme| accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> The Pollution Control Department and other agencies have developed standards and reduced air pollution from most sources. The standards focus shifting to lower-emission vehicle engines, improving public transportation, and requiring factories and power plants to reduce emissions. In most areas of the country, air pollutants are now within acceptable levels according to national standards. [[Image:Terminalkils2.jpg|thumb|left|Industrial water pollution]] ==Water Resources== Despite the annual southwest [[monsoon]], [[Thailand]] is subject to drought, particularly the northeastern region.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thailandoutlook.com/thailandoutlook1/about+thailand/environment/ |title=About Thailand: Environment|accessdate=2007-06-07 |publisher=ThailandOutlook.com}}</ref> As of 2002, Thailand had less available water per person than any other country in Asia, and nearly one third of its water was “unsuitable for human consumption.”<ref name='water'>{{cite web|url= http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTTHAILAND/Resources/Environment-Monitor/environment_monitor_2001.pdf|title=Thailand Environment Monitor 2001: Water Quality| publisher=ThailandOutlook.com| accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> Like air pollution, water pollution is most serious in the populous Central Region, with high levels of industrial and domestic wastewater. The depletion of the [[water table]] around [[Bangkok]] has led to [[subsidence|land subsidence]]. Coastal waters also face challenges. The [[Gulf of Thailand]] is primarily polluted by domestic wastewater, and further by waste from industry and tourism. In addition to the Gulf, high pollution levels were found at the mouths of the [[Chao Phraya River|Chao Phraya]], [[Tha Chin River|Tha Chin]], [[Pak Panang River|Pak Panang]], [[Pattani River|Pattani]] and [[Ranong River|Ranong]] rivers. Coastal water quality in most areas, however, are within acceptable standards. Water pollution has become obvious in many areas. In 1997, hundreds of thousands of fish and other aquatic life in the [[Nam Phong River]] died as a result of industrial river pollution.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://advisor.anamai.moph.go.th/factsheet/health1-9_en.htm|title=Thailand Water Pollution Crisis : A Case on Massive Fish Deaths in Nam Phong River|publisher=Environmental Health Center Region 6|accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> Large amounts of arsenic were found in the groundwater in the [[Nakhon Si Thammarat]] province, a result of [[mining]] industry in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/industrypollution/en/index1.html|title=World Water Day 2001: Pollution from industry, mining and agriculture|publisher=[[World Health Organization]]|accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> ===Health Effects=== Water pollution results in [[typhoid]], [[dysentery]], [[hepatitis]], [[trachoma]], [[hookworm]] infection and [[diarrhea]]. In 1999, hospitalization rates were: * Typhoid &mdash; 4,000 hospitalizations * Dysentery &mdash; 7,000 * Diarrhea &mdash; 95,000 Exposure to toxins and heavy metals in water causes [[skin disease]], [[Hepatocellular carcinoma|liver cancer]] and [[birth defects]]. Klity Creek in [[Kanchanaburi]] province was found to carry dangerous levels of [[lead]] from a lead separation plant upstream. Lead levels are apparently the cause of many cases of [[Down's Syndrome]] in village children, unidentified illnesses in adults, and many cattle deaths. In 1998, the plant was closed and the creek dredged, although by 2000 lead levels were still considered unsafe. ===Improvement Efforts=== In 1992, the government passed several pieces of legislation to prevent water pollution; the laws primarily limit industrial water contamination: * Enhancement and Conservation of National Environment Quality Act (NEQA) of 1992 * Factories Act of 1992 * Navigation in Thai Waterways Act (Volume 14 ) as amended in 1992 * Public Health Act of 1992 * Cleanliness and Tidiness of the Country Act of 1992 The government continues to invest in wastewater treatment plants. In 2000, enough treated water was available to support 29% of the population, with more treatment plants under construction; upon completion, treated water would be able to support 65% of the population. The most common water treatment techniques are inexpensive to build and maintain, including [[Activated sludge#Oxidation Ditch|oxidation ditches]], [[Activated sludge#Aeration methods|aerated lagoons]] and [[Waste pond|stabilization ponds]]. The government is also investigating more effective and modern techniques such as [[constructed wetlands]]. ==Wildlife== {{main|Wildlife of Thailand}} Thailand’s wildlife is threatened by [[poaching]], habitat loss, and an industry that sells wild animals as pets.<ref name='tscwa'>{{cite web|url=http://www.tscwa.org/forests/index.html|title=Thai Forests: Dept. National Parks, Wildlife & Plants|publisher=Thai Society for the Conservation of Wild Animals}}</ref> [[Image:Asian elephant.jpg|thumb|right|Asian elephants]] The [[elephant]] is Thailand's [[List of national animals|national symbol]]. Although there were 100,000 elephants in Thailand a century ago, the population of elephants in the wild has dropped to an estimated 2,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phuket.com/conservation/elephants.htm|title=Mobile Elephant Clinic Project|publisher=Phuket Elephant Conservation|accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> Poachers have long hunted elephants for [[ivory]], meat and hides. Young elephants are often captured for use in tourist attractions or as work animals, although their use has declined since the government banned [[logging]] in 1989. There are now more elephants in captivity than in the wild, and environmental activists claim that elephants in captivity are often mistreated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1016_021016_phajaan.html|title=Activists Denounce Thailand's Elephant "Crushing" Ritual|publisher=National Geographic Today|date=2002-10-06|author=Jennifer Hile|accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> Poaching of protected species remains a major problem. Hunters have decimated the populations of [[tigers]], [[leopards]] and other large cats for their valuable pelts. Many animals (including tigers, bears, [[crocodiles]] and [[king cobra]]s) are farmed or hunted for their meat, which is considered a delicacy, and for their supposed medicinal properties. Although such trade is illegal, the famous Bangkok market [[Chatuchak]] is still known for the sale of endangered species.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monitor.net/monitor/9702a/endangeredfood.html|title=Endangered Animals on Restaurant Menus|author=by Teena Amrit Gill|publisher=Albion Monitor/News|date=1997-02-18|dateaccessed=2007-06-07}}</ref> The practice of keeping wild animals as pets threatens several species. Baby animals are typically captured and sold, which often requires killing the mother. Once in captivity and out of their natural habitat, many pets die or fail to reproduce. Affected populations include the [[asiatic black bear]], [[Malayan sun bear]], [[Lar gibbon|white-handed lar]], [[pileated gibbon]] and [[binturong]].<ref name='tscwa'/> Large-scale deforestation and development have encroached on many former wildlife habitats, and [[pesticides]] in their food supply has reduced bird populations. Several species of [[sawfish]] are listed as [[critically endangered]] because of because of [[habitat loss]] and [[overfishing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/|publisher=IUCN – The World Conservation Union|title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> ====Wildlife Conservation==== Conservation efforts by the government include:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/X6967E/x6967e09.htm||title= Impacts and effectiveness of logging bans in natural forests|publisher=Food and Agriculture of the United Nations|accessdate=2007-06-07}}</ref> * 1960 Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act, which designated protected forest and non-hunting areas * 1961 National Park Act * 1964 National Forest Reserve Act * 1989 Logging ban in natural forests * 1992 Forest Plantation Act * 1992 Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act * 1992 Wild Animals Reservation and Protection Act (WARPA) Until the acts of 1989 - 1992, conservation policies were difficult to enforce, and often took a back seat to economic development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iges.or.jp/en/fc/phase1/ir98-2-7.PDF|title=Conflict Resolution: A case study on sustainable forestry management in Thailand|author=Pearmsak Makarabhirom|accessdate-2007-06-07}}}</ref> These acts represented a major shift in Thai policy, and are part of the government’s cooperation with the [[CITES|Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)]], an international wildlife protection agreement. The government now requires that at least 15% of its land area be protected as forest, and 22% is currently protected as [[wildlife sanctuary|wildlife sanctuaries]] or [[national parks]]. To enforce CITES, the government also maintains border checkpoints to prevent animal smuggling, and works to educate the public about wildlife preservation. Thailand’s [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] culture, with its emphasis on respect for all life, has become a key component of the country’s conservation efforts.<ref name=tscwa/> ==See also== *[[2007 Laos earthquake]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} {{Asia in topic|Environmental issues in}} {{loc}} [[Category:Environment of Thailand|Issues]] [[Category:Environmental issues by country|Thailand]]