Environment and natural resources
Pollution and waste
The world’s plastic crisis in the Mekong region
In January researchers identified the Mekong as one of ten rivers that collectively discharge 95 percent of the plastics strangling the world’s oceans. Also, the Mekong countries of China, Thailand, and Vietnam are among five countries in the world (Indonesia and the Philippines are the other two) that collectively dump ...
Investment rush is harming environment
The recent massive crackdown on recycling factories processing hazardous electronic waste allegedly smuggled from abroad seems to be just the tip of the iceberg. Last week, police, local authorities and Revenue Department officials jointly raided five electronic recycling plants in Chachoengsao to stamp out pollution caused ...
Soonruth Bunyamanee
Pollution Control Dept warns of stormwater waste
The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has issued a statement warning the public to be careful of stormwater polluting water sources during the rainy season. PCD Director-General Sunee Piyapanpong has explained that rainfall at the beginning of the season will wash out wastewater and other substances that ...
Jettana Pantana
Alarm raised as Thailand drowns in plastic trash
In February last year, a patch of plastic trash almost 10 kilometres long was seen floating off the coast of the Gulf of Thailand in Chumpon province, prompting a wake-up call about the plastic pollution problem which has become increasingly serious in recent years.Keep reading ...
Piyaporn Wongruang
Continuing haze points to failure of Asean agreement
The failure in the implementation of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) has led to the prolonged and severe haze season in the northern region of Southeast Asia, while the goal of a haze-free Asean by 2020 was far from achievable, environmentalists said ...
Pratch Rujivanarom
Smog rings alarm bells in Chiang Mai
The North continued to choke in smog, as air pollution level soared in an increasing number of hotspots after the end of the ban on burning.The level of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in many provinces of the northern region, especially in Chiang ...
Pratch Rujivanarom
Earth Day focuses on oceans drowning in single-use plastics
Single-use plastic is being seen as a major threat to Mother Earth this Earth Day, while environmental group Greenpeace has suggested a tax on plastic production to cut down Thailand’s high rate of plastic waste generation.Keep reading ...
Pratch Rujivanarom
Haze problem in North set to worsen as burning ban ends, experts warn
Air pollution in the North is expected to worsen following an end to the ban on outdoor burning in many provinces.Both academics and authorities yesterday (April 17) cautioned people in the North to be prepared for a new and final wave of hazardous haze, while ...
Pratch Rujivanarom
PCD claims success in restricting haze in northern provinces
Air pollution has improved on previous years in nine northern provinces thanks to authorities strictly controlling slash-and-burn farming practices, according to the Pollution Control Department (PCD). Sunee Piyapanpong, head of the Department of Pollution Control, Friday claimed success in reducing pollution, saying strict measures had ...
Apinya Wipatayotin and Prasit Tangprasert
North faces serious haze problem this weekend
People in the North have been warned to prepare for a worsening haze problem this weekend as the weather forecast shows south-westerly winds that will carry air pollution into the region. The Northern Meteorological Centre (NMC) said that weather conditions during this period were the ...
Pratch Rujivanarom