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Thailand is shrinking as coastal erosion takes a toll
Erosion is biting two square kilometres of land off Thailand every year, according to a report issued by the World Bank. (15 June 2007) The Nation
15 June 2007
Erosion is biting two square kilometres of land off
Thailand every year, according to a report issued by the World Bank.
"This means about Bt6 billion economic damage," Jitendra Jha of the
World Bank said yesterday. He said erosion was one of the world's major
environmental problems.
According to Jha, the coastal environment has
suffered adverse impacts from the fact that the population and activities along
the coast of Thailand have been increasing over the past 30 decades. For
example, with increased sea-fishery activities and shrimp farms, about 80 per
cent of coral reefs in the Andaman Sea and 50 per cent in the Gulf of Thailand
have been deteriorating.
He said construction of piers, dams and digging
for artesian water also aggravated the erosion.
Jha pointed that Ban
Khun Samut Cheen in Samut Prakan alone lost more than one square kilometre
during the past 30 years.
Natural Resource and Environment Ministry
director-general Nisakorn Kositrat said her ministry had joined hands with
relevant authorities in tackling erosion problem in the Gulf of Thailand.
"We have launched an initiative to tackle the problem in five provinces,
with Ban Khun Samut Cheen being included," Nisakorn said. She said the
initiative covered surveys to identify what caused the erosion so as to tackle
the problems at its root.
"If any structure is found to have caused
erosion, it will be improved," she said. For structures that cannot be improved,
Nisakorn vowed to remove it if its existence meant the erosion would get worse.
She said the bill on the promotion of marine and coastal resource
management, when enforced, would allow coastal communities' participation in the
management.
Currently, the Council of State is reviewing the bill that
has already obtained the Cabinet's green light.
Jha described local
community participation as one of the key factors for efficient environmental
management.
Source: The NATION
www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/15/national/national_30036908.php
Submitted by: Jim Enright
