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2009/MRCWG/010
Agenda Item: 1
Economy Report - Thailand
Purpose: Information
Submitted by: Thailand
22nd Marine Resource Conservation Working
Group Meeting
Vancouver, Canada
1-3 June 2009
SUMMARY REPORT ON
MARINE RESOURCE CONSERVATION IN THAILAND
Over the past decades, the promotion of Thailand’s economic growth through coastal
development for infrastructure and urbanization, promotion of tourism and industrial development, and
increased exploitation of natural resources has resulted in overall degradation of marine and coastal
resources. Thai government, therefore, have undertaken measures to protect and rehabilitate marine
and coastal habitat to ensure sustainable management of natural resources.
Furthermore, the principle of sustainable development in accordance with His Majesty the
King’s philosophy of sufficiency economy, which will lead to more resilient and sustainable economy,
has been applied at all levels of Thai society for achieving sustainable management of marine
resource conservation in Thailand. People use the philosophy as guidelines to live on the basis of
sufficiency so that their way of lives would not cause any damage or negative impacts to the
environment they are living in. Basically, people who follow this path would live in harmony with the
nature. This is a simple way to protect our environment without having to pay huge amount of money
on rehabilitation work but to use our resources in a sustainable way. This philosophy is also
applicable and suitable for those who live in the near-shore or islands who make use of the oceans for
their livings.
At the same time, the government has taken the lead in promoting integrative
management and increase the involvement of communities. Activities carried out to efficiently address
current and emerging management and planning issues regarding oceans and coastal zones are
consistent
with
the
Bali
Plan
of
Action’s
contents
and
guidelines.
In terms of plans to manage marine and coastal resources, there was strong support to set up and
assess a national plan for mangrove forests, coral reefs and sea grasses. The Strategic Plans for
Coastal Management and Measures to Mitigate Erosion in Thailand, which was developed last year to
set up a system to manage coastal areas all over the country, has already been approved by the
National Environment Board and the Cabinet. Furthermore, as climate change affects the sea and
coastal resources of Thailand, Phuket Marine Biological Center, Department of Marine and Coastal
Resources has been supported to develop a strategic plan to address climate change
Since impacts of climate change is the most challenging, Thailand has expressed its
strong will to work along with other nations toward the ultimate goal of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Cabinet has adopted the National Strategy on
Management of Climate Change (2008-2012), which comprises 6 specific strategies to call for
integrated implementation of action and measures by all responsible agencies namely;
1) increasing capability in adaptation to the risk and impacts of climate change;
2) encouraging reduction of greenhouse gases emissions while enhancing the
greenhouse gas sinks and reservoirs on the basis of sustainable development;
3) promoting research and development to further understanding on climate change;
4) increasing public awareness and participation for effective response to climate
change;
5) promoting capacity building of personnel and institutions responsible for the task
related to climate change;
6) developing and promoting international cooperation
In addition, the measures, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enable
the country to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change, will be incorporated within the
country’s five-year plans. However, in addressing the climate change, collection, exchange and
access to the use of observation data is needed, Thailand, which is located in the region of both
Indian Ocean GOOS (IOGOOS) and Southeast Asian GOOS (SEAGOOS), has collaborated and
worked on the activities of common interest for the development of operational oceanography such as
capacity building in the field of oceanography, building up oceanographic data network system and
developing of oceanographic studies in both the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand.
Regarding the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements especially
‘Biodiversity Cluster’, Thailand has developed National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan to
compile all activities and projects which related to those multilateral agreements in this action plan.
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Furthermore, the National Capacity Self Assessment was set up for implementing and integrating
sustainable development actions into national environmental management and overarching themes to
promote and enhance synergy, which are collaboration, information resource management,
biodiversity and climate change, were identified.
Thailand’s implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity are shown, for
example, in the efforts to substantially increase the size of protected areas, the establishment of
national programme to promote ecosystem approach, the extensive coastal reforestation initiatives
undertaken along area near Andaman Sea after tsunami, 10 year national plan conservation and
Biological Boy/ Girl Guide to impart knowledge on conservation taxonomy, ecosystem restoration.
Various activities have been undertaken towards the 2010 biodiversity target and International Day for
Biological Diversity (IDB) with this theme: Invasive Alien Species” to increase understanding and
awareness of biodiversity issues.
In addition, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has also undertaken
research and development activities by conducting survey on biodiversity of marine and coastal
ecosystem i.e. island, mud flat, mangrove, seagrass and coral reef in order to obtain biodiversity
database to help establish protected areas.
As Thai government has always supported the establishment of mangrove forest
recovery projects that focused on the participation of coastal communities, the International Union for
the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and UNDP have selected Thailand as one of the first to run pilot
areas, in order to make strategic plans and action plans under the Mangrove For the Future project to
recover
mangrove
forest
in
Andaman
coastal
areas.
The project is focused on coastal area rehabilitation and conservation by using the ecosystem
approach.
Regarding, reducing land-based pollution and improving management of the watershed,
Thailand has placed an emphasis on “hilltop to ocean” ecosystem management. Furthermore, the
Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP-MALI) has also been implemented. The Second
COBSEA Marine Litter Workshop was hosted by UNEP in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment, Thailand was organized last year to discuss on the issues on national
implementation of the RAP-MALI and the private sector partnership in raising awareness of marine
litter and the preventing and reducing of it from land-based and sea-based sources as priorities for
action. As part of the workshop, there were also discussion on the Green Fins Programme and an
exhibition of the entries of the Green Fins Photo Contest.
Enhance capacity and improve the awareness of communities in marine and coastal
management and conservation is an integral component of many plans and projects. Activities
undertaken are for example, museum database collection, exhibition, seminars on coral reef, marine
sciences and mangrove forest ecosystem, technical training, training for the trainers and youth
camps.
Thailand
May 2009
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