The World Bank, in collaboration with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, organized the launch of the Thailand Environment Monitor 2006 on June 14, 2007.

The Environment Monitor is the World Bank report that tracks key environmental challenges in Thailand. In the latest Monitor, the World Bank points out that, over the last few decades, urban and industrial as well as tourism development has put Thailand ’s marine and coastal resources at risk.  To protect these resources, coastal economic development must be combined with a sustainable management of the natural resources, the Monitor says. Constructive cooperation among key stakeholders must also be developed, it concludes.

The Environment Monitor lays out five key challenges to sustain present coastal resources and preserve their contribution to future development:

-          reduce coastal erosion

-          establish sustainable fisheries

-          step up oversight of coastal development

-          increase local participation

-          establish integrated management.

During the launch, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanawat Jarupongsakul, Chulalongkorn University, and Prof. Dr. Supat Wongvisethsomjai, Team Consulting Engineering and Management Co., Ltd. joined a panel discussion on “Searching for Technical Solution.” Khun Surapol Krishnamara, Senior Policy and Planning Officer, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, also presented an overview on Government efforts to mitigate coastal erosion.

Khun Samorn Kengsamut , head of village, Baan Khun Samut Chin, participated in the discussion and shared her village’s experience in coastal erosion over the last three decades, during which Baan Khun Samut Chin’s shoreline has diminished by one kilometer.

Mr. Ian Porter , Thailand Country Director for the World Bank, (center), and Khun Nisakorn Kositratna, Director-General, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, (right), co-chaired this event. Mr. Jitendra J. Shah, World Bank Country Coordinator for Environment, (far left), presented the overview of the Monitor and encouraged further debate on how to solve the problems.

Download:

• Presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanawat Jarupongsakul, Chulalongkorn University (pending) 
• Presentation by Prof. Dr. Supat Wongvisethsomjai, Team Consulting Engineering and Management, plese click here (2.8Mb pdf)
• Presentation by Khun Surapol Krishnamara, DMCR, plese click here (558Kb pdf)
• Speech by Khun Nisakorn Kositratna, DMCR  (pending)
• Speech by Ian Porter, the World Bank, plese click here

For press release and to download the Thailand Environment Monitor, please click here