Environmental news from Thailand — climate, air quality, conservation and sustainability, in English from Thai PBS World.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will sue the owner of a Myanmar-registered cargo ship which ran aground on the coral reefs in Chak Bay, in the Mu Ko Surin National Park, in the Andaman Sea off Phang-nga province, on June 1st.
The Medical Sciences Department and Chiang Rai provincial administration have given an assurance that tap water and fish caught in the Kok, Sai and Ruak rivers, as well as vegetables grown in this northern province, are safe for consumption.
Green Peace Thailand, Chiang Mai University and Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH) are collaborating to investigate the extent of transboundary pollution in the Kok and Sai rivers in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces and to assess its long-term impacts.
A man was arrested in the Lat Phrao district of Bangkok last night for allegedly smuggling two baby orangutans into Thailand, in a case police believe is linked to an international wildlife trafficking network.
The injured elephant in Kui Buri National Park, which was treated by park veterinarians and officials a few days ago, was found dead on Thursday from a serious infection in a hind leg caused by bullet wounds, the park chief, Anuchart Artharn disclosed on Friday.
Several species of fish caught in the Kok River in Chiang Rai province have been found to be suffering from blotches on the skin and are infested with parasites and bacteria, although traces of heavy metals, such as arsenic, were not found, according to provincial fishery officials.
Divers from Mu Ko Surin National Park are racing to locate a whale shark, the tail of which has become entangled in discarded fishing net.
The Thai Customs Department has seized hundreds of shark fins from the bonded cargo area of Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The fins were being smuggled from Caribbean countries.
The Chiang Rai provincial administration has launched a publicity campaign, urging people in the province to avoid using water from the Kok and Sai rivers due to arsenic contamination from unregulated gold mining in Shan state of Myanmar.
New diving rules have been introduced, in a bid to protect corals and marine animals, including a requirement that only advanced-level divers or those with at least 40 logged dives are allowed to take pictures underwater.
Fish caught in the Kok River, in Chiang Rai province, are safe for consumption because the amount of arsenic they contain is within safe levels.