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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Academics urging a State of Emergency for the North
by Pratch Rujivanarom An academic is calling on the government to declare a state of emergency as Chiang Mai and most Northern Provinces face ‘disastrous’ levels of PM2.5 smog and smoke haze.Citizen in the North are being advised to stay inside air conditioned buildings and avoid all outdoor activities, as some areas of Chiang Mai recorded PM2.5 levels reaching higher…
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Polystyrene containers ditched by Southern province
by Somchai Samart You would expect the Capital to lead the way. But this time it’s one of Thailand’s southern provinces showing the way forward with one of Thailand’s biggest disposable waste problems. Songkhla in Thailand’s south, is now well on the way to establishing itself as a foam container-free city as green trends continue to grow. During the past…
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Sea turtle dies after getting tangled in a fishing net – Prachuap Khiri Khan
PHOTOS: The Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand A series of photos that convey everything we should be concerned about in Thailand’s marine ecology. A Green Sea Turtle, tangled in a fishing net, has been washed up on a beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources reports that they were notified that a dead sea…
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Chiang Mai ‘s tourism holds up despite smoke and smog
by Siriarpa Kamjan, ttgasia.com Chiang Mai’s current poor air quality and smoke haze is raising concerns on the potential impact on tourism as Thailand’s Songkran water festival approaches. Smog has been a yearly occurrence in Northern Thailand, but this year the situation appears to be the worst with Chiang Mai topping the air pollution ranking and the media tracking daily…
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Thailand’s north continues to choke under record smoke levels
PHOTO: Burn-off of plantation land and forest fires continue to blanket the north in smoke – Thailand Discovery For the fourth consecutive day Chiang Mai ranks as the world’s most air-polluted city, with an air quality index (AQI) score of 282 this morning on airvisual.com. Mae Hong Son meanwhile continued to battle multiple forest fires, and Lampang saw it Thammasat University…
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Haze and poor visibility grounds morning flights into Mae Hong Son
Poor visibility from local smoke haze and smog has forced Bangkok Airways to cancel flights between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son until at least this Saturday. Mae Hong Son in the far north-west of Thailand, on the Myanmar border. The airline says poor visibility is a result of forest fires. It has cancelled at least 10 flights because of…
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Forecast for poor air quality returning to Bangkok
Smog, smoke and haze problems have returned to the capital and its neighboring provinces. Nine areas were found to contain levels exceeding the 50-micron safety level yesterday. Blaming the poor air quality on weak low-altitude air flow, the pollution control department predicts that the situation might further deteriorate. The department pleaded for cooperation from members of the public by not burning anything in open areas and…
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Shoppers said ‘no’ to 237 million plastic bags at 7-11 in three months
More than 237 million plastic bags have been left unused at Thailand’s 7-eleven stores in the past three months – valued at more than 47 million baht. But the media release from CP All, the local franchise owners of 7-eleven, doesn’t announce how many plastic bags were actually used during the same period. The sole operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores…
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Air quality for Thailand – March 6
Central Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Thailand to ban import of plastic waste
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is proposing to the Thai cabinet a total ban on the import of plastic waste into Thailand. The ban would start in 2020. Thai PBS reports that the Natural Resources and Environment Minister Gen Surasak Karnjanarat says, that as imports of plastic waste are to end next year, Thailand will increase recycling of…
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Air quality for Thailand – March 5
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to…
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Air quality for Thailand – March 4
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive…
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Saying no to ‘Say No’ campaigns – Tackling Thailand’s plastic bag problem
Some timid but long overdue steps are now being taken towards reducing Thailand’s plastic waste. Baby steps to start with but there is no doubt that the issue has now entered the Thai national psyche. In reaction, so far, Thai businesses have, for the most part, made only cursory PR efforts at tackling the bigger problem but, again, it’s a…
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Day One of burning ban – Chiang Mai still choking on poor air quality
PHOTOS: The Nation Air pollution remains above the official safety limit in and around Chiang Mai today – the first day of a 50 day ban on all burning. Next door, in Mae Hong Son, the level of PM2.5 micron airborne particulates measured 93 micrograms per cubic metre of air, nearly double the safe limit of 50mcg. Chiang Mai measures…
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Air quality for Thailand – March 1
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 28
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 26
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand It is a great day to be active…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 25
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to…
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Poor air quality and smoke continue to dog Chiang Mai
PHOTO: Sanook Chiang Mai continue to suffer from a smog and haze crisis. Residents are suffering the affects of the poor air quality for the second week in a row in the northern Thai city. A high reading of 176 has been recorded just north of the city centre but the areas all around Chiang Mai are registering high readings recorded…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 22
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 20
Central Thailand It is a great day to be active outside. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand It is a great day to be active outside.
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Air quality for Thailand – February 18
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 15
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand It is a great day to be active…
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“Close down the schools” – Chiang Mai University academic
PHOTO: Measuring the PM2.5 particles and pollution from public transport in Chiang Mai With Chiang Mai making the list for worst air pollution in the world (Number 3), calls are growing for schools and educational institutes in the northern province to close down temporarily. “The Chiang Mai University, in particular, should suspend its classes until the situation improves. Not only…
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New electric ferries to ply the ‘Venice of the East’ in Bangkok
by Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn A 1 billion baht project is under consideration to transform Bangkok into the “Venice of the East” (again?) and help ease the city’s air pollution problems. The project for electric-powered ferries to ply the Chao Phraya is backed by Energy Absolute, a Thai alternative energy technology provider, which yesterday said it will work with the Marine Department…
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Chiang Mai and Bangkok blanketed under Wednesday air pollution and smog
Chiang Mai, and other north Thailand regions, are getting blanketed in dangerous smoke, haze and smog again today. For the capital, the poor air quality that ignited public response for January, has returned. The Pollution Control Department is urging people, including schoolchildren, to refrain from outdoor activities and to wear facemasks outside, while small children and the elderly, pregnant and…
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Chiang Mai: Third worst air-pollution in the world
Chiang Mai scored an unwanted podium position yesterday when it was ranked third on the global list of cities with the worst air pollution. Chiang Mai’s AQI (Air Quality Index) score stood at 194 a level considered “unhealthy” yesterday. Any figure beyond 200 is ‘very unhealthy’. On Saturday, Khon Kaen reached 210 on the AQI scale. Chiang Mai’s severe air…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 13
Central Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand It is a great day to be active outside.
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AIR POLLUTION: Air quality for Thailand – February 12
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand It is a great day to…
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Air pollution rise in northern Thailand attributed to 149 controlled forest fires
PHOTO: The Nation Concern grows as the air pollution problem in the North and North-east regions of Thailand threatens to affect the health of the public. Phrae (northern Thailand) was the worst affected area in Thailand on Monday morning with the PM2.5 reaching 102 micrograms per cubic metre and the Air Quality Index (AQI) level of 212, while PM10 hit 132…
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