The coastal environmental profile of Ban Don Bay and Phangnga Bay, Thailand

Abstract

The coastal zone of Thailand with a 2,600-km coastline is very rich in natural resources which include fisheries, coral reefs, mangrove forests, beaches and mineral deposits. Over the past decade, rapid increases in population and human activities along the coastal areas have resulted in degradation of these valuable natural resources. Many areas have already experienced the effects of water pollution, depletion of mangroves, overgrowth of urban communities and other negative consequences. As indicated by the results of a recent Upper South Regional Planning Study by the Japan lnternational Cooperation Agency (JICA), the development potentials of the area are great and that many of the activities rely on the use of coastal resources. This gives rise to the need for a plan to guide the management of coastal resources utilization that will allow sustainable development. This publication is the first step towards rational management of the Upper South coastal zone. Recommendations for developing plans to sustain coastal resources use are presented. A Workshop on Project Environmental Profile and Proposal Refinement held in Pattaya, Thailand, in October 1986 and subsequent discussions with government agencies initially helped in finalizing the draft of this profile.