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or firewood collection; some even augment incomes through illegal poaching. More obvious though are the southern marine parks where coastal villagers have turned their fishing shacks into bungalows for the emerging tourism industry. In the case of Ko Chang, for example, commercial development of the park was orchestrated by business interests connected to the Thaksin government. The island was once a rural community with a few basic guesthouses and intermittent electricity, but during the Thaksin era the island was given special economic status and touted as an ecotourism model. The end result was a sizeable profit for politically connected land buyers and a mini-Samui.

It is easy to judge Thailand for mismanaging its natural endowments when the West has, in many cases, squandered and auctioned off their own, but the Thai government is still figuring out its commitment to environmental protection and how to deal with temptations of a new revenue source: tourism.

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Many environmental experts suspect human alteration of natural flood barriers and watercourses could be responsible for increased occurrences of severe flooding. Increased incidents of flooding along the Mekong River is often linked to upstream infrastructure projects, like dams and removal of rapids for easier navigation, and increasing human populations along the river. Deforestation and destruction of wetlands and river margins are some of the many compounding factors. Another emerging component is the role of climate change in the increase of seasonal rains that overload the ability of the ecosystem to absorb and transport excess water.

Thailand is a signatory to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), and although Thailand has a better record than most of its neighbours, corruption hinders government attempts to protect ‘exotic’ species from the lucrative global wildlife trade, which is the third largest black-market activity after drugs and arms dealing. As the border between Thailand and Myanmar becomes more stable, it becomes easier for poachers and illegal loggers to move contraband from the unregulated forests of Myanmar into the markets of Thailand and beyond. Southeast Asia is a poaching hot-spot due to the region’s biodiversity and because of inconsistent enforcement of wildlife protection laws.

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Ecology Asia (www.ecologyasia.com) has an econews section that archives green headlines in Thailand.

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In any case wildlife experts agree that the greatest danger faced by Thai fauna is neither hunting nor the illegal wildlife trade but rather habitat loss – as is true worldwide. Species that are notably extinct in Thailand include the kouprey (a type of wild cattle), Schomburgk’s deer and the Javan rhino, but innumerable smaller species have also disappeared with little fanfare.

Coastal Development & Overfishing

Coastal development is putting serious pressure on Thailand’s diverse coral reef system and marine environment. It is estimated that about 40% of Thailand’s coral reefs have died and that the annual loss of healthy reefs will continue at a rate of 20% a year. Coral’s biggest threat is sedimentation from coastal development, like new condos, hotels, roads and houses. Other common problems include pollution from anchored tour boats, rubbish and sewage dumped directly into the sea, and agricultural and industrial run-off. Coastal development and the attendant light pollution also threaten the breeding cycles of the marine turtles who rely on a dark night sky lit by the moon.

The overall health of the ocean is further impacted by large-scale fishing undertaken by Thailand and its neighbours. Fish catches have declined by up to 33% in the Asia-Pacific region and the upper portion of the Gulf of Thailand is no longer as fertile as it once was. Most of the commercial catches are sent to overseas markets and rarely see a Thai dinner table. The seafood sold in Thailand is typically from fish farms, another large coastal industry for the country.

Air & Water Pollution

Bangkok is once