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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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Young whale spotted caught in rubbish in Phuket
Another damning video is exposing the danger of Thailand’s pollution towards its wildlife, this time in Phuket. On Thursday, a fisherman spotted a young sperm whale stuck in rubbish near Phuket’s Racha Island. The fisherman, Pongsakorn Naksaard, posted a photo and 2 videos of the poor creature on Facebook. One of the videos shows the pile of rubbish more clearly.…
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Officials in eastern Thailand scramble to save tree from tourists
Officials in eastern Thailand are scrambling to save a lone tree on a tiny islet off Trat province from tourist destruction. The islet is only a few metres wide, with nothing on it except the tree and its roots. The director of maintenance at Koh Mak Tambon Administrative Organisation, Lertrob Saithongpu, said the wee little islet can only handle 5…
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Artificial reefs placed around Pattaya’s Koh Larn and Koh Sak
Thailand’s authorities are building new homes for Pattaya’s marine critters, hoping to boost coastal tourism. Yesterday, government authorities placed 300 sets of artificial reefs around Koh Larn and Koh Sak, 2 small islands off Pattaya. Pattaya’s Deputy Permanent Secretary, Kiattisak Sriwongchai, said the island’s coral reef had been especially damaged by people walking in them. The artificial reefs are made…
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Pink pineapple is illegal in Thailand, smugglers face jail time
A type of genetically-modified pink pineapple is being illegally sold in Thailand, according to a warning issued by Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture yesterday. The ministry urges the public to keep a vigilant eye out for unusual fruit and report anyone involved in the illicit pink pineapple trade. Costa Rican company Fresh Del Monte has been cultivating ‘Pinkglow’ pineapples, which are…
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Phuket marine centre works to heal injured sea turtle
A marine centre in Phuket is working to nurse an injured sea turtle back to health. The turtle was spotted washed up by strong waves on the sands of Kata Beach earlier this week. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources arrived on the scene after a hotel staff alerted them of the struggling little snapper. The DMCR found the…
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Phuket conservationists lead beach cleanup after trash washes up from storms
A conservation group in Phuket lead a beach cleanup at Siranart National Park on Friday, as storms have hit the Andaman Sea with large waves that tend to wash up garbage and marine debris on shores. The event, organised by the Andaman Natural Resources Foundation, was titled Big Cleaning Day 10. Other government agencies and private organisations, as well as…
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Governor to drain the swamp with Bangkok’s criminal fraternity
Chadchart Sittipunt made over 200 pledges prior to his landslide election victory last Sunday with the economy, environment, and health, high on his list of priorities. And when the Bangkok governor-elect vowed to clean up the metropolis, he wasn’t kidding. The 56 year old’s four-year term as governor began in earnest this week and, his agreement to use criminals to…
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Phuket looks for new groundwater sources to cope with acute water shortages
The Department of Groundwater Resources started a project to explore new groundwater sources in Phuket to cope with the ongoing water scarcity problem in the province. The project is also expected to be a model for other Thai islands to study groundwater resources and water management. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Varawut Silpa-Archa, assigned the Groundwater Resources Department…
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UPDATE: Chief in Phuket says black water is “not from businesses”
THE LATEST After a popular Facebook page claimed this week that dirty black water at a Phuket beach is being caused by nearby businesses, an official insists it is not. The page, titled Monsoon Garbage Thailand, posted a damning video of the water flowing into the ocean at Kamala Beach. But Kamala Tambon Administrative Organisation Chief Jutha Dumlak told The Phuket…
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Black water still flowing into ocean at Phuket’s Kamala Beach
A popular Facebook page has posted a video and photos this week of black, dirty water flowing into Phuket’s Kamala Beach on the island’s west coast. The page, titled Monsoon Garbage Thailand, claims that the dirty black water was released from nearby businesses without any treatment. The Phuket Express reports that local business owners and government representatives have not yet responded…
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450 charging stations for electric vehicles by the end of 2022
PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR) plans to increase its electric vehicle (EV) business by adding more charging stations in the nation’s shopping malls by the end of the year. Terminal 21, Fashion Island, and The Promenade are next in line to get the charging stations under the PluZ brand. Five more stations, two in Bangkok, two in Pattaya and…
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More Thai national parks to close to allow for recovery during monsoon season
The national parks at Mu Koh Similan and Mu Koh Surin have joined Mu Koh Lanta in Krabi province in closing for the monsoon season. The famous tourist attraction of Maya Bay, on Koh Phi Phi Leh, kicked things off recently, when officials announced that it would once again close to allow the bay’s fragile eco-system to recover. Maya Bay re-opened…
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More than 600 endangered or prohibited animals seized at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Wildlife officials and the Thai Customs Department have seized more than 600 endangered or prohibited animals at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The animals were delivered from a middle east country via Egypt Air. The information about the sender hasn’t been reported at this stage of the investigation. Yesterday, the Manager of the Wildlife Checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Yossathon Kongngen, told…
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Bangkok authorities look to tackle air pollution
After unsafe levels of smog and smoke blanketed Bangkok last month, the city’s authorities are now looking to tackle Bangkok’s notorious air pollution. The deputy permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has said that this year, the BMA aims to work with other government agencies to deal with the air problem. He said that the BMA’s pollution control operations…
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Australia’s Great Barrier Reef facing “mass bleaching”
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, one of the most famous natural sites in the world, is suffering a mass bleaching event. Due to bleaching in 2016, 2017 and 2020, 66% of the reef’s coral was damaged. Bleaching occurs when rising ocean temperatures cause corals heat stress, and drain them of their colours. The UN threatened to lower the reef’s World Heritage…
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Phuket prepares reforestation activity for National Tree Day
National Tree Day is coming up next Friday, May 13, and Phuket is getting ready to celebrate! Phuket authorities plan to host a public event where people can come and plant trees. The event will start at Wat Kosit Viharn Temple, off Thepkrasattri Road in Rassada, and move to Toh Sae National Forest reserve, which is behind the temple off…
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Famous Thai YouTuber under fire for collecting hermit crabs
A famous YouTuber ‘OauJun Hi-End‘ with 4.5 million subscribers, posted a video of himself collecting a bunch of hermit crabs and bringing them home. He posted a video yesterday apologising for catching them, as he didn’t know he would attract so much attention. Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, says he will investigate him for his actions.…
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Dog owners prosecuted for bathing dogs at waterfall inside Thai national park
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has prosecuted dog owners who brought dogs and bathed them at a waterfall inside the Khao Luang National Park in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The authorities said pets were banned from entering the national parks in Thailand to prevent the spread of diseases from the urban area. One…
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Thailand wants to eradicate malaria ‘for good’
Cases of malaria in Thailand have decreased 72% in recent years, but the country’s Department of Disease Control is planning to completely eradicate the mosquito-borne disease by 2024. Today, the DDC is observing World Malaria Day 2022 under the theme “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives”. A malaria vaccine is also under evaluation and is…
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Wildlife workers rescue injured dolphin in Phuket
Tourists and locals at Phuket’s Nai Yang beach, near the Phuket International Airport, spotted a dolphin stranded and grounded in shallow waters this morning. The dolphin had 3 key injuries, one on its tail, one on its side, and one near its mouth. Thalang officials notified the head of Sirinath National Park about the dolphin after the tourists and locals…
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Former Phuket prison to transform into spooky tourist attraction
An old Phuket prison no longer housing inmates is now set to become a spooky tourist attraction, providing visitors with a “Twilight Zone” experience. Phuket Prison was built in Phuket Town about 120 years ago, and Phuket officials now plan to turn it into a ‘live museum’ to teach both tourists and locals about its history. In addition to the…
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Trash still a major problem for Phuket beach
Although Phuket officials have repeatedly called on local administrations to clean their areas, one beach on the island province continues to struggle with its trash problem. At Nai Harn beach, plastic trays are often left near the water, and sometimes, people even leave their trash right next to a garbage bin (instead of in it). One unnamed local resident told…
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Thailand slides down world’s marine plastic index
Thailand’s spot on the list of countries with the highest levels of marine plastic pollution is down from #6 to #10 in light of the country’s efforts to combat plastic waste. Thailand recently reached an international agreement to combat the looming problem of plastic waste at the UN’s most recent Environmental Assembly, or UNEA, meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya. Thailand…
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Songkran crowds flock to the new, improved, wider, better Jomtien Beach
Pattaya, the seaside playground 2 hours south east of Bangkok, never had really good beaches. But these days the popular resort boasts huge expanses of sand as far as the eye can see. Most of the earlier efforts were concentrated on the popular Pattaya beachfront but recently the efforts moved to Jomtien, about 3 kilometres south of the main party…
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Unsafe levels of smog and smoke blanket Bangkok – VIDEO
Unsafe levels of PM2.5 ‘particulate’ cloud Bangkok and surrounding areas today. Phasi Charoen district, on the western side of the Chao Phraya, is the worst affected area, while other dangerous areas include: Phutthamonthon 1 Road in Taling Chan district, Lat Krabang Road in Lat Krabang district, Hirunrujee Road in Thon Buri district, and Charoen Nakhon Road in Khlong San district.…
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Independent candidate for Pattaya mayor vows to solve flooding, waste problems
One Pattaya mayoral candidate, who is running independent of any party, vows to solve the city’s flooding and waste problems. Independent candidate Sakchai Taenghor visited a market in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri on Wednesday, where he spoke with local residents and vendors to promote his campaign to solve the issues. Flooding is a major problem in Pattaya during…
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Thailand cold spell kills 200 chickens in Chaiyaphum
A poultry farm in the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum reported that over 200 chickens died after the temperature dropped to 17 degrees Celsius earlier this week. The Department of Livestock Development reported that sudden changes in weather patterns are affecting the animal husbandry sector in Thailand. Chickens can tolerate cold temperatures below freezing, but sudden changes in temperature can affect…
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Thailand bans single-use plastics from national parks, know before you go
The next time you go for a hike, swim or boat ride in Thailand’s protected great outdoors, make sure to leave disposable plastics at home — except for a water bottle. Beginning April 6, all single-use plastics and styrofoam products are banned from entering national parks in Thailand. Specifically, single-use plastic items such as bags, spoons, forks, straws, cups and…
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Phuket deputy governor appoints committee to fight dust pollution
Phuket deputy governor Anupap appointed a committee on Monday to fight the severe dust pollution gripping the island province. In a meeting at city hall that he lead that day, Anupap stressed that forest fires are common during Thailand’s dry season, and they create fine particulate dust matter, PM2.5, in dust, soot, smoke, and liquid. He said with bad ventilation…
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Thai government pushes use of electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions
The Thai government has approved a budget of 3 billion baht to subsidise the price of electric vehicles and has installed free-to-use EV charging stations at Benjakitti Park in Bangkok to promote the shift to a low carbon society. The spokesperson for the prime minister, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchan, announced today that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha aims to promote electric vehicles and make…
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