Thailand: Officials Seek Urgent Solutions for Coastal Erosion Problems

Mr. Somsak Piriyayotha, a coastal and mangrove resources specialist, recently chaired a discussion forum in order to find a solution to the coastal erosion problem in 23 coastal provinces.

Mrs. Somsri Awagiat, the Coastal Management Policy and Planning Division Director, explained that the coastal erosion problem has worsened globally, and in Thailand the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has now called for cooperation from every relevant sector to jointly work in the same direction to mitigate the problem.

The project seeks to identify short-term coastal erosion management strategies and solutions for the 23 coastal provinces. The implementation time should last over the next 13 years. This project is also aimed at fully integrating central and local collaboration, including provincial and regional levels, to work together.

The forum was held to allow over 60 attendants from local and provincial administrative organizations, government, the private sector and local people to listen to the project details, to brainstorm, to give suggestions and to inform the forum about actual local needs in an attempt to find the most effective and fully integrated plan to tackle the problem.

[mappress]

Press Release, May 23, 2014