Environmental issues in Thailand
Encyclopedia
The government of Thailand has been focusing on the social and economic development of the country for the past 35 years. However, since Thailand introduced the Seventh Economic and Social development plan (1992-1996) ,
protecting the environment become one of the top priorities for the Thailand government. Seventh Economic and Social development plan seeks to maintain economic growth and achieve sustainable growth and stability, especially in the petrochemical,engineering,electronics and basic industries.
Over the past few decades, Thailand's dramatic economic growth brought about new environmental challenges in the once-agrarian economy. The country presently faces problems with air
and water pollution
, declining wildlife populations, deforestation
, soil erosion, water scarcity, and hazardous waste
issues. According to the 2004 indicator, cost of air and water pollution for the country scales up to approximately 1.6% - 2.6% of her GDP per year. As such, Thailand's economic growth has not come short of producing externalities to the society.
Further, deforestation is creating other environmental problems as well. These problems include conversions to dry lands, sedimentation of rivers, and loss of natural habitats. In the fisheries sector, over-harvesting of marine fisheries has reduced fishing yields by 90 percent, and coastal areas have been seriously degraded by expansion of capture fishing, shrimp aquaculture, industry and tourism. This caused much of Thailand’s biodiversity losses.
Industrial growth has created high levels of air pollution in Thailand. Vehicles and factories contribute to air pollution, particularly in Bangkok.
In the Bangkok metropolitan area, which consists of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the four surrounding provinces (Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, and Samut Prakan), holds about 20 percent of the national population and over half of the country's factories. Coupled with the concentration of the factories in the metropolitan area, the air pollution caused by motor vehicle emissions, and grave water pollution from household and industrial wastewater, justified that there would be no doubt of the escalation of externalities from production. Further, due to a lack of treatment facilities, the increasing volumes of hazardous substances generated by the thriving industrial activities have caused serious dumping issues. Unless treatment facilities are built and institutions starts to regulate strictly, environmental contamination caused by hazardous waste threatens to become Thailand's worst environmental problem in the future.
Sources of air pollution
Burning in southeast Asia often creates a haze
. In 2003 Thailand ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution
to reduce the haze from forest fires, but issues throughout the region are still common.
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.
The most critical environmental problem that Thailand is facing presently, is the water pollution. Despite the annual southwest monsoon
, Thailand
is subject to drought, particularly the northeastern region. 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.” Unconsumable water was also a result of increasing untreated domestic sewage, industrial wastewater and solid hazardous wastes.
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 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
, Tha Chin
, Pak Panang, Pattani
and 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. Large amounts of arsenic were found in the groundwater in the Nakhon Si Thammarat
province, a result of mining
industry in the area. Pollution affects the marine environment. Red tides, caused by excessive algae growth and a result of pollution, oil spills, and invasive species are some of the factors that are affecting Thailand's marine biodiversity.
Another major pollution is the heavy metals that have seeped into the rivers of Thailand for many years. In Chao Phraya estuary, mercury levels have far exceeded the normal standards, and such high concentration of heavy metal on the river bed poses a serious threat to ecosystems.
, hepatitis
, trachoma
, hookworm
infection and diarrhea
. In 1999, hospitalization rates were:
Exposure to toxins and heavy metals in water causes skin disease, 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.
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 oxidation ditches, aerated lagoons and stabilization ponds
. The government is also investigating more effective and modern techniques such as constructed wetlands.
Thailand’s wildlife is threatened by poaching
, habitat loss, and an industry that sells wild animals as pets.
The elephant
is Thailand's 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. 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.
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.
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, white-handed lar
, pileated gibbon
and binturong
.
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 habitat loss and overfishing
.
Until the acts of 1989 - 1992, conservation policies were difficult to enforce, and often took a back seat to economic development. These acts represented a major shift in Thai policy, and are part of the government’s cooperation with the 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 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 Buddhist
culture, with its emphasis on respect for all life, has become a key component of the country’s conservation efforts.
Currently, there are MOI agencies that will tackle these environmental issues.; including the Department of Industrial Works who will watch on the levels of pollutions in Thailand and assess the need for licensing. The Office of Industrial Environment Management is responsible for the treatment of hazardous. There is a hazardous waste treatment facility in Bangkok and a landfill in Ratchaburi.
protecting the environment become one of the top priorities for the Thailand government. Seventh Economic and Social development plan seeks to maintain economic growth and achieve sustainable growth and stability, especially in the petrochemical,engineering,electronics and basic industries.
Over the past few decades, Thailand's dramatic economic growth brought about new environmental challenges in the once-agrarian economy. The country presently faces problems with air
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
and water pollution
Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
, declining wildlife populations, deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
, soil erosion, water scarcity, and hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. According to the U.S. environmental laws hazardous wastes fall into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known...
issues. According to the 2004 indicator, cost of air and water pollution for the country scales up to approximately 1.6% - 2.6% of her GDP per year. As such, Thailand's economic growth has not come short of producing externalities to the society.
Deforestation
In the past, forest cover in Thailand has been greatly reduced as people convert forested land for agriculture, such as slash-and-burn agriculture. For example, forest cover fell drastically from 53% in 1961 to 25% in 1998; and more rice fields and urban sprawls have been converted from what was originally wetlands. With a government measure in place to prohibit logging, deforestation rates have dropped. However, the impacts of deforestation, such as erosion, are still being felt.Further, deforestation is creating other environmental problems as well. These problems include conversions to dry lands, sedimentation of rivers, and loss of natural habitats. In the fisheries sector, over-harvesting of marine fisheries has reduced fishing yields by 90 percent, and coastal areas have been seriously degraded by expansion of capture fishing, shrimp aquaculture, industry and tourism. This caused much of Thailand’s biodiversity losses.
Air pollution
In the Bangkok metropolitan area, which consists of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the four surrounding provinces (Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, and Samut Prakan), holds about 20 percent of the national population and over half of the country's factories. Coupled with the concentration of the factories in the metropolitan area, the air pollution caused by motor vehicle emissions, and grave water pollution from household and industrial wastewater, justified that there would be no doubt of the escalation of externalities from production. Further, due to a lack of treatment facilities, the increasing volumes of hazardous substances generated by the thriving industrial activities have caused serious dumping issues. Unless treatment facilities are built and institutions starts to regulate strictly, environmental contamination caused by hazardous waste threatens to become Thailand's worst environmental problem in the future.
Sources of air pollution
- Vehicles — motorcycles make up around 75% of the vehicles on the road in Thailand; diesel trucks and buses also contribute many pollutants.
- Industry — Bangkok and the rest of the Central RegionCentral ThailandCentral Thailand is a region of Thailand, covering the broad alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. It is separated from North-East Thailand by the Phetchabun mountain range, and another mountain range separates it from Myanmar to the west. In the north it gently changes into the more hilly...
contribute between 60 and 70 percent of the country’s industrial emissions. - Power plants — 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
Haze
Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky. The World Meteorological Organization manual of codes includes a classification of horizontal obscuration into categories of fog, ice fog, steam fog, mist, haze, smoke, volcanic...
. In 2003 Thailand ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution
ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution
The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution is an environmental agreement signed in 2002 between all ASEAN nations to reduce haze pollution in Southeast Asia...
to reduce the haze from forest fires, but issues throughout the region are still common.
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.
Water resources
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
is subject to drought, particularly the northeastern region. 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.” Unconsumable water was also a result of increasing untreated domestic sewage, industrial wastewater and solid hazardous wastes.
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
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
around Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
has led to land subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
.
Coastal waters also face challenges. The Gulf of Thailand
Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand , also known in to Malays as Teluk Siam literally meant Gulf of Siam, is a shallow arm of the South China Sea.-Geography:...
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
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...
, Tha Chin
Tha Chin River
The Tha Chin river is a distributary of the Chao Phraya river, Thailand. It splits near the province of Chainat and then flows westerly from the Chao Phraya through the central plains, until it mouths into the Gulf of Thailand at the province of Samut Sakhon....
, Pak Panang, Pattani
Pattani River
Pattani River is a river in Southern Thailand, Thailand. It originates in Betong district, Yala Province and mouths into the Gulf of Thailand at the town Pattani. Within Yala province the river forms the Bang Lang Reservoir. The river has a length of 214 km....
and 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. Large amounts of arsenic were found in the groundwater in the Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nakhon Si Thammarat is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Province and the Nakhon Si Thammarat district. It is about south of Bangkok, on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. The city was the administrative center of southern Thailand during most of its history. ...
province, a result of mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
industry in the area. Pollution affects the marine environment. Red tides, caused by excessive algae growth and a result of pollution, oil spills, and invasive species are some of the factors that are affecting Thailand's marine biodiversity.
Another major pollution is the heavy metals that have seeped into the rivers of Thailand for many years. In Chao Phraya estuary, mercury levels have far exceeded the normal standards, and such high concentration of heavy metal on the river bed poses a serious threat to ecosystems.
Health effects
Water pollution results in typhoid, dysenteryDysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
, hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
, trachoma
Trachoma
Trachoma is an infectious disease causing a characteristic roughening of the inner surface of the eyelids. Also called granular conjunctivitis and Egyptian ophthalmia, it is the leading cause of infectious blindness in the world...
, hookworm
Hookworm
The hookworm is a parasitic nematode that lives in the small intestine of its host, which may be a mammal such as a dog, cat, or human. Two species of hookworms commonly infect humans, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus. A. duodenale predominates in the Middle East, North Africa, India...
infection and diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
. In 1999, hospitalization rates were:
- Typhoid — 4,000 hospitalizations
- Dysentery — 7,000
- Diarrhea — 95,000
Exposure to toxins and heavy metals in water causes skin disease, liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
and birth defects. Klity Creek in Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi ) is a town in the west of Thailand and the capital of Kanchanaburi province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327...
province was found to carry dangerous levels of lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
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 oxidation ditches, aerated lagoons and stabilization ponds
Waste pond
A waste pond or chemical pond is a small impounded water body used for the disposal of water pollutants, and sometimes utilized as a method of recycling or decomposing toxic substances. Such waste ponds may be used for regular disposal of pollutant materials or may be used as upset receivers for...
. The government is also investigating more effective and modern techniques such as constructed wetlands.
Wildlife
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
, habitat loss, and an industry that sells wild animals as pets.
The elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
is Thailand's 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. Poachers have long hunted elephants for ivory
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
, 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
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
in 1989. There are now more elephants in captivity than in the wild, and environmental activists claim that elephants in captivity are often mistreated.
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
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
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
Chatuchak
Chatuchak usually refers to Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, Thailand, but it may be used to refer to various places around the area:* Chatuchak Park, a public park just north of Chatuchak Weekend Market....
is still known for the sale of endangered species.
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
Asiatic Black Bear
The Asian black bear , also known as the moon bear or white-chested bear is a medium-sized species of bear, largely adapted for arboreal life, which occurs through much of southern Asia, Korea, northeastern China, the Russian far east and Honshū and Shikoku islands of Japan...
, Malayan sun bear, white-handed lar
Lar Gibbon
The lar gibbon , also known as the white-handed gibbon, is a primate in the Hylobatidae or gibbon family. It is one of the better-known gibbons and is often seen in zoos.-Range:...
, pileated gibbon
Pileated Gibbon
The pileated gibbon is a primate in the Hylobatidae or gibbon family.The pileated gibbon has sexual dimorphism in fur coloration: males have a purely black fur, while the females have a white-grey colored fur with only the belly and head black...
and binturong
Binturong
The Binturong , also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family Viverridae, which includes the civets and genets. It is the only member of its genus...
.
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
Sawfish
Sawfish, also known as the Carpenter Shark, are a family of rays, characterized by a long, toothy nose extension snout. Several species can grow to approximately . The family as a whole is largely unknown and little studied...
are listed as critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
because of habitat loss and overfishing
Overfishing
Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans....
.
Wildlife conservation
Conservation efforts by the government include:- 1960 Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act
- 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), which forbids or restricts the hunting, breeding, possession, and trade of fifteen reserved animalReserved animals of ThailandThailand has fifteen designated reserved animal species, which are defined by the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act of BE 2535. It is prohibited by law to hunt, breed, possess or trade any of such species, except when done for scientific research with permission from the Permanent...
species and two classes of protected species
Until the acts of 1989 - 1992, conservation policies were difficult to enforce, and often took a back seat to economic development. These acts represented a major shift in Thai policy, and are part of the government’s cooperation with the 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 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 Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
culture, with its emphasis on respect for all life, has become a key component of the country’s conservation efforts.
Actions Taken
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) arranged activities for the World Environment Day in order to educate and stimulate people to realize the importance and value of biodiversity on world ecosystem and economy.Currently, there are MOI agencies that will tackle these environmental issues.; including the Department of Industrial Works who will watch on the levels of pollutions in Thailand and assess the need for licensing. The Office of Industrial Environment Management is responsible for the treatment of hazardous. There is a hazardous waste treatment facility in Bangkok and a landfill in Ratchaburi.