Environmental issues in Thailand

Environmental issues in Thailand

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 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. []
* 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. [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}] 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.

ee also

*2007 Laos earthquake

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Environmental economics — is a subfield of economics concerned with environmental issues. Quoting from the National Bureau of Economic Research Environmental Economics program:Cquote| [...] Environmental Economics [...] undertakes theoretical or empirical studies of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Thailand — /tuy land , leuhnd/, n. 1. Formerly, Siam. a kingdom in SE Asia: official name of Siam 1939 45 and since 1949. 59,450,818; 198,242 sq. mi. (513,445 sq. km). Cap.: Bangkok. 2. Gulf of. Also called Gulf of Siam. an arm of the South China Sea, S of… …   Universalium

  • Geography of Thailand — Detailed map of Thailand …   Wikipedia

  • Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Thailand) — Kingdom of Thailand Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment กระทรวงทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อม Ministry overview Formed 2002 Jurisdiction Government of Thailand Headquarters 92 Soi Phaholyothin 7, Phaholyothin Road, Phayathai, Bangkok …   Wikipedia

  • Topic outline of Thailand — For an alphabetical index of this subject, see the List of Thailand related articles. Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is an independent country which lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. The country is bordered to the north by Laos… …   Wikipedia

  • Outline of Thailand — The …   Wikipedia

  • Portal:Thailand — Wikipedia portals: Culture Geography Health History Mathematics Natural sciences People Philosophy Religion Society Technology …   Wikipedia

  • Constitution of Thailand — Bangkok s Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Thai:รัฐธรรมนูญแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย) is the supreme law of Thailand. Since …   Wikipedia

  • 1997 Constitution of Thailand — For legal and historical context, see the Constitutions of Thailand article Bangkok s Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret. The 1997 Constitution of the Kingdom of… …   Wikipedia

  • environment — environmental, adj. environmentally, adv. /en vuy reuhn meuhnt, vuy euhrn /, n. 1. the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu. 2. Ecol. the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”