Environment News
Thailand environment news, climate change, sustainability, and natural disasters—stay updated on eco-initiatives, biodiversity conservation, and renewable energy efforts. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for environmental news in Thailand.
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Dead sea turtle found on Phang Nga beach sparks pollution fears
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has launched an investigation after a decaying sea turtle carcass was discovered washed up on the sands in front of The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani Resort in Phang Nga’s Takua Pa district. The grim find was first reported to the Phang Nga Provincial Marine Office yesterday, July 30. Officials from the…
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Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach gets sandy makeover to woo tourists
Thailand’s Marine Department held a high-level seminar yesterday at the Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel and Resort to push forward Phase 2 of the Jomtien Beach Sand Replenishment Project — a multimillion-baht effort to combat coastal erosion and bring back beachgoers in droves. Deputy Director-General of the Marine Department Narinsak Sattaprasit presided over the event. He was joined by Deputy Governor…
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Phuket drowning in rubbish: Mayor vows not to quit
Mayor Suphot La-ongphet of Phuket City is standing firm as the island faces a mounting waste management crisis, with garbage piling up faster than it can be processed. On Tuesday, July 29, at 5.30pm, the mayor visited the Phuket Central Waste Disposal Centre to assess the worsening situation. He was joined by Director of the Engineering Office Yutthana Kanchanaphak to…
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Spiked: Russian girl jabbed by porcupinefish at Jomtien Beach
A peaceful beach day turned into a seaside scare after an 11 year old Russian girl was stung by a porcupinefish spine while playing along the shore at Jomtien Beach. The incident unfolded yesterday afternoon, July 29, when the girl suddenly cried out in pain, alarming her guardians and nearby beachgoers. According to officials from the Jomtien municipal enforcement team,…
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Baby monkey boom delights visitors at Chon Buri zoo
Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri has announced the successful birth of five healthy squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus), adding to its troop and bringing the total population of the species at the zoo to 23. Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy confirmed the good news this week, calling the multiple births a sign of the zoo’s high standards of animal care.…
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Kao unveils ‘Green Pavement’ project for sustainable road solutions
Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese manufacturer of consumer and chemical products, has joined forces with the Faculty of Engineering at Chiang Mai University to roll out the ‘Green Pavement’ project for more sustainable roads. This initiative showcases Kao’s innovative NEWTLAC technology, which repurposes used PET plastic bottles into a chemical additive for asphalt. This technology enhances road…
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Tweet deal: Thailand considers delisting bulbul bird to boost green gains
The government has highlighted the perceived advantages of removing the red-whiskered bulbul, or nok krong hua juk, from the list of protected wildlife species to bolster both conservation efforts and economic growth, according to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on. A working group established by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) is tasked with examining…
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TAT launches Coral College Project, promoting safe & sustainable marine tourism
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched the Coral College Project, a bilingual e-learning platform that introduces visitors to marine safety, environmental awareness, and responsible tourism practices. Available online at coralcollegethailand.org, the platform is currently being piloted in Phuket with plans to expand nationwide. The initiative responds to the environmental and safety challenges posed by mass marine tourism. With…
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Thai villages win big for green tourism push
Thailand’s grassroots tourism projects just bagged six major accolades from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), placing the kingdom firmly on the regional map for sustainable travel in 2025. Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikarn Watthanachan announced the big win yesterday, July 21, crediting the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) and its community network partners for putting Thailand’s local experiences…
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Thailand to send back stolen orangutans to Indonesia
Thailand is preparing to send four rescued orangutans back to Indonesia by the end of the year, marking a symbolic step in the fight against wildlife trafficking — and celebrating 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) confirmed that the orangutans were seized in two separate illegal wildlife…
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Maya Bay closes for conservation from August
Thailand’s famed Maya Bay is off-limits once again, as officials shut it down for two months to let nature breathe after another hectic High Season. The popular tourist magnet, made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach, will be closed along with neighbouring Loh Sama Bay from August 1 to September 30. The temporary closure, announced by the Department…
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Pattaya investigates oil pollution in local water source
In response to community complaints regarding a significant water source, an investigation has been initiated by local officials. Pattaya officials have launched an investigation into oil and grease pollution discovered in drainage near a local restaurant Concerns were raised about a drainage pipe situated near a popular cycling spot opposite a well-frequented restaurant, close to the Hot Two Point intersection…
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Thailand fights back as Myanmar pollution threatens health crisis
Thailand has launched an urgent crackdown on toxic cross-border pollution after dangerous levels of heavy metals were detected flowing into northern rivers from Myanmar, sparking fears of a looming health and environmental disaster. Yesterday, July 15, the Cabinet officially endorsed recommendations from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to protect communities along the Kok and Sai rivers, where contamination has…
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Pattaya races to finish mega drainage project before next deluge
Pattaya City officials are scrambling to beat the clock as they push to complete a massive drainage overhaul aimed at finally taming the floods that turn roads into rivers every rainy season. The ambitious project, centred along the railway parallel road, will link a giant new pipeline directly to the Huai Yai municipal canal. Once operational, the system is expected…
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Thailand builds giant bridges to save wild elephants from roads
Thailand has launched two colossal new bridges to stop wild elephants from meeting a grisly end under speeding cars. Yesterday, July 15, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit declared open the towering structures built in Rayong’s Khao Chamao district and Chanthaburi’s Kaeng Hang Maew district—key corridors for elephant herds roaming the east. “These bridges will help wild elephants coexist with humans sustainably,”…
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Bangkok launches waste separation campaign with fee discounts
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has launched a new waste-separation campaign named This House Doesn’t Mix Waste. This initiative encourages city residents to sort their waste correctly in exchange for discounts on trash collection fees. Registration for the campaign starts on August 1, with the official rollout scheduled for October. The programme involves collaboration with the private sector and offers…
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Long-lost ‘Forest sea star’ plant stuns scientists in Thailand
A rare plant thought to have vanished from the face of the Earth has emerged like a botanical ghost, shocking scientists with its return after more than a century in hiding deep within Thailand’s rainforests. Botanists worldwide are celebrating the extraordinary rediscovery of Heterostemma brownii Hayata, also known as the Forest Sea Star. Part of the milkweed family (Apocynaceae), this…
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Mud, sweat, fears: Thailand landslide warning after monsoon soak
Villagers in northern and eastern Thailand have been told to brace for landslides and flash floods after days of relentless rain left hillsides sodden and unstable. The Department of Mineral Resources sounded the alarm today, July 11, warning that 11 provinces are now at severe risk of geological disasters over the next 48 to 72 hours. The Geological Disaster Operation…
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Wild elephants forage for food, wreak havoc in Prachin Buri
A group of five wild elephants, including a mother and calf, from Thap Lan National Park, invaded a worker’s home late at night, causing significant damage as they searched for food. The incident, which marks the sixth consecutive day the elephants have roamed outside the park, occurred yesterday, July 10, in Prachin Buri province. The elephants, part of a herd…
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Shark ‘n’ awe as blacktip reef sharks swarm Maya Bay in Krabi (video)
Tourists got more than just postcard views in Thailand’s paradise bay this month, as researchers spotted a jaw-dropping 158 blacktip reef sharks cruising the shallows in one fin-tastic return to form. Maya Bay, the once-trampled beauty spot made famous by The Beach, is making waves again, this time for all the right reasons. Thai marine boffins say they’ve recorded the…
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Disaster at sea: RTN drills for shipwreck chaos off Phuket
Phuket is gearing up to tackle maritime catastrophes head-on, staging an elaborate simulation of a passenger ship disaster that could save lives when real tragedy strikes. The Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3 (Thai-MECC 3), based at the Royal Thai Navy (RTN)’s Third Naval Area Command at Cape Panwa, spearheaded the operation yesterday, July 8, in Phuket Town as…
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Rare Asiatic golden cat filmed in South Thailand national park (video)
A camera trap hidden deep in Khao Luang National Park in Nakhon Si Thammarat captured rare footage of the endangered Asiatic golden cat striding through its natural habitat. Park Chief Haritchai Ritchooay revealed yesterday, July 8, that the scientific team and Patrol Unit 2 were behind the remarkable discovery. The image offers a glimpse into the rich biodiversity thriving in…
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Thailand’s blind elephant becomes loving sanctuary grandma (video)
A once-reclusive elephant who spent years shunning contact has undergone a heart-melting transformation, capturing hearts around the world. Jokia, a blind elephant who survived Thailand’s brutal logging trade, had long preferred her own company, traumatised by a past she couldn’t forget. Rescued by the Save Elephant Foundation, she spent years wandering alone, too wary to bond with her kind. “She…
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Nature’s surprise: Rare panda crab spotted in Thai national park
A rare panda crab, known locally as the Sirindhorn Crab, has been spotted crawling across a remote waterfall in the Panoen Thung area at Kaeng Krachan National Park, showcasing the extraordinary biodiversity thriving in Thailand’s western forests. The discovery, shared on the park’s Facebook page on Sunday, July 6, delighted conservationists and nature lovers. The park’s post featured stunning photos…
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New marine protection zones established around Koh Phayam
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has introduced new marine and coastal protection zones around Koh Phayam in Ranong. The initiative aims to safeguard the area’s rich biodiversity from the growing environmental challenges posed by tourism, fishing, and coastal development. Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on declared the implementation of a fresh ministerial regulation for the region. Published in the Royal…
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Splash ‘n’ grab: Floods wreak havoc as Pattaya bikes washed away
Tourists and locals in Pattaya were left soaked and stranded yesterday as a torrential downpour turned Thailand’s Sin City into a sodden swamp, with over 20 bikes washed away in raging floodwaters. The heavens opened for more than two hours last night, July 1, swamping Bang Lamung district and bringing traffic to a watery standstill. Water levels surged to between…
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Bangkok Airways takes off with green fuel to slash carbon emissions
Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited is propelling its Low Carbon Skies by Bangkok Airways initiative with a major commitment to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Starting today, July 1, the airline will officially introduce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on its commercial flights, marking a significant step towards a more environmentally friendly future for aviation in Thailand. Captain Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, President of Bangkok…
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Wild tiger spotted observing researchers in Thai wildlife sanctuary (video)
In the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, a team of researchers from the Department of National Parks had an unusual encounter with a wild tiger that observed them quietly during their field mission. The sanctuary spans across Uthai Thani and Tak provinces. On June 28, the researchers were engaged in a tiger tracking and data collection mission when a tiger…
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Phuket’s tsunami drill to test readiness with 1,000 participants
In a massive push to strengthen Thailand’s disaster response, more than 1,000 people will take part in a major tsunami drill in Kamala tomorrow as part of the national disaster response exercise, C-MEX 25. The drill, aimed at enhancing readiness and coordination across six Andaman coastal provinces, is set to be the largest exercise of its kind in recent years. The…
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Phuket’s luxury real estate boom raises green space concerns
Phuket’s latest luxury real estate development, Utopia Urban Glam, has made waves as it positions itself as a key driver of the island’s economic growth. The seven-storey building, currently under construction in Rawai’s Saiyuan area, boasts 110 residential units and a range of high-end amenities, including seven swimming pools, a private cinema, a fitness centre, and a rooftop Sky Lounge. The…
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