Intense deforestation
Thailand's forests once covered more than 60% of the country. Today, they account for just 30%. This is due to trafficking in precious wood, slash-and-burn farming and the lack of ecological awareness among a large part of the population. But by far the biggest culprit is agriculture. Primary forests are being felled on a massive scale, to be replaced by rice and corn monocultures. Southern Thailand is also affected by the notorious palm oil plantations, which cover 1,600 ha in the provinces of Krabi, Ranong, Phang Nga, Satun and Trang. The problem remains marginal, however, compared to Indonesia and Malaysia.
Deforestation is such that it is causing a cascade of other ecological problems. Soils are losing their vitality and becoming waterproof. During monsoon periods, this plays an active part in the severe flooding that increasingly affects Thailand. In Bangkok, the problem is particularly worrying, as urbanization has made the soil impermeable. To make matters worse, the city is sinking by 2 cm a year, due to erosion and urbanization.
The Kingdom is gradually becoming aware of the scale of the problem, and is slowly moving towards reforestation. In particular, it has used the "seed bomb" technique: balls of clay, compost and local seeds, bombarded by plane. Even more original: some of the trees have been ordained as monks! To protect them, Buddhist monks draped them in their famous orange robes, making them sacred and untouchable.
Polluted air threatens public health
The capital, Bangkok, is regularly submerged in thick smog, an unbreathable fog of pollution. Atmospheric pollution broke all records at the beginning of 2023. The problem is such that it represents a major threat to Thai public health. In the first four months of the year, almost 2.5 million Thais suffered from health problems linked to air pollution. Respiratory problems, eye inflammation, sore throats and dermatitis are all symptoms of a major environmental problem afflicting the country. The cause: heavy industry, exhaust fumes and forest fires caused by slash-and-burn farming, which is still widespread.
Impact of tourism
With 40 million visitors a year, Thailand suffers considerable damage from tourism. One of the most notorious is the damage to coral. While global warming is the main threat, tourism is only sealing the corals' tragic fate. Some sites, victims of their own success, welcome up to 60,000 divers a day. The islands off Krabi, Koh Phi Phi and the Similian Islands have suffered particularly badly.
The example of Maya Bay beach made the rounds in 2018. At the time, the Thai government took the strong decision to close it to the public, in order to preserve its ecosystem, and in particular its coral reefs. A victim of its popularity, due in particular to its appearance in the film The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, the beach was receiving almost 5,000 tourists a day! As a result, 80% of the bay's coral had disappeared, along with most of the marine life. By the time the beach reopened in early 2022, coral had recovered thanks to a 15,000-species reintroduction program, blacktip sharks(Carcharhinus melanopterus) had returned to the area, and biodiversity had improved. To keep up the momentum, the number of tourists is now capped, under the watchful eye of guards, and swimming and diving are restricted, as is boat mooring. Other natural sites in Thailand have adopted this strict approach to tourism, the results of which have yet to be evaluated.
Waste: an unsolved problem
The whole country is full of open-air dumps, which are particularly prevalent on the islands, isolated from the mainland's infrastructure. Their impact is immense: some of them end up in the oceans, while others pollute the water at the slightest rainfall. Above all, the problem stems from a serious lack of infrastructure.
The government announced in early 2023 that it would stop importing plastic waste, mainly from the USA and Japan, from 2025. It also hopes to achieve a 100% recycling rate by 2027. But since good waste is waste that hasn't been produced, Thailand's major supermarket chains have pledged to stop supplying plastic bags. However, there is still a long way to go.
Thailand's protected areas
Thailand boasts some 150 national parks, in addition to hundreds of sanctuaries, marine parks, no-hunting zones, Ramsar sites... Southern Thailand is rather spoiled, with just under twenty national parks. Among them, the 700 km2 Khao Pu-Khao Ya National Park is nicknamed Bha Brommajan, for "the forest of virginity". It is the scene of ritual ceremonies, while providing a home for numerous species, some of which are protected.
Southern Thailand is also home to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, the country's oldest. Literally, its name translates as "The mountain of 300 peaks". Far from being just limestone reliefs, the park in fact boasts an exceptional diversity of landscapes, including some of the country's most extensive swamps, seawater, caves, mangroves..
The Mu Ko Surin marine park offers invaluable protection for marine life. This is another good example of a park where visitors are regulated to protect the wildlife: during the monsoon season, entry is forbidden. The well-preserved park is a nesting ground for the endangered green turtle(Chelonia mydas) and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle(Eretmochelys imbricata).
