Thailand's Coastline Threatened by Melting Iceberg, Expert Warns

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Saudi Gazette

 

The world's largest iceberg, A23a, is melting at a worrying rate due to rising global temperatures, posing a potential threat to Thailand's coastline over the coming 25 years, cautioned environmental expert Sonthi Kotchawat on Monday.

 

Iceberg A23a, a massive block of ice covering around 3,500 square kilometres – an area over twice the size of Greater Bangkok – has been lodged off South Georgia Island, near Antarctica since it detached from the ice sheet in 1986.

 

As global temperatures creep upwards, surpassing the Paris Agreement's 1.5 degrees Celsius target, concerns grow that A23a may fragment, grounding more icebergs into the Southern Ocean's key shipping lanes.

 

Sonthi underscores a broader environmental impact. The break-up of A23a could disrupt vital shipping routes and jeopardise the habitats of local wildlife, including penguins and seals.

 

Moreover, the iceberg's meltwater may contribute to plummeting plankton blooms, altering the local food chain dynamics by releasing locked minerals and nutrients.

 

Adding to these concerns, the influx of fresh meltwater from A23a is likely to elevate sea levels, with implications for coastal areas. In Thailand—where coastal sea levels are already rising at approximately 5.8 millimetres annually—low-altitude locales such as Phra Samut Chedi in Samut Prakan, Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district, and Bang Krachao in Samut Sakhon are at significant risk.

 

 

 

Projections into 2050 suggest that without intervention, severe flooding could become more routine across Bangkok’s lower-lying regions, including Bang Kholaem, Bang Rak, Thon Buri, and others such as Bangkok Noi, Bang Na, Bang Kapi, Bang Khen, Don Muang, and Ramkhamhaeng. This would adversely affect over 10% of Thailand's population, reveals a Unesco report cited by Sonthi.

 

Rising sea levels coupled with the changing climate represent a ticking time bomb for Thailand, exacerbating the vulnerability of its infrastructure and economy.

 

Coastal management and climate adaptation become ever more critical as the data illustrates the compounded threat to both ecology and human settlements.

 

The message calls for urgent action as stakeholders increase efforts to mitigate these potential impacts, emphasising the need for robust environmental policies and international cooperation.

 

This complex interplay of factors underscores the urgency for a proactive approach as these environmental shifts no longer remain a distant possibility but a present unfolding reality, inevitably impacting millions in Thailand and beyond, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-03-25

 

 

[George Bowman]

Now I am really confused. Many years back, another Thai expert said that Thailand had nothing to fear from the melting icebergs simply because they were to far away from the Land of Smiles...😁

[ChaiyaTH]

Right so it will take another 86.2 years in that case, assuming no in between changes of the ever changing climate, to rise 50 centimeter, from today. Then by doing all the fake climate change things to fight this, we will get the same in 100 years lol.

[redwood1]

Well this is good....When the  icebergs get here we can capture the Polar Bears off the icebergs and put them in the Zoo with Moo Dang....

 

 

[JonnyF]

Should make taking a dip in the sea a much cooler experience.

[edwinchester]

Melting icebergs do not raise sealevel. Melting glaciers and other ice and snow mass above sealevel are what cause sealevel rise.

[VincentRJ]

20 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

Melting icebergs do not raise sealevel. Melting glaciers and other ice and snow mass above sealevel are what cause sealevel rise.

 

Good point!

 

The relevant quote from the article: "Adding to these concerns, the influx of fresh meltwater from A23a is likely to elevate sea levels, with implications for coastal areas."

 

What nonsense!

[Artisi]

44 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

Melting icebergs do not raise sealevel. Melting glaciers and other ice and snow mass above sealevel are what cause sealevel rise.

 

20 minutes ago, VincentRJ said:

 

Good point!

 

The relevant quote from the article: "Adding to these concerns, the influx of fresh meltwater from A23a is likely to elevate sea levels, with implications for coastal areas."

 

What nonsense!

Are you guys really saying the Thai experts are talking a load of hogwash?

They might be better off looking at banning people swimming in the oceans, lakes and rivers in Thailand as the impact of people immersing themselves in the water raises the water level by displacement of each person, they could also ban all showering, washing clothes and cars together toilet flushing as surely this also raises the water level. 

[KhunLA]

Hopefully the house will be beachfront before I crap out 

Café LA ... stay tuned for grand opening announcement.

 

[VincentRJ]

27 minutes ago, Artisi said:

 

Are you guys really saying the Thai experts are talking a load of hogwash?

They might be better off looking at banning people swimming in the oceans, lakes and rivers in Thailand as the impact of people immersing themselves in the water raises the water level by displacement of each person, they could also ban all showering, washing clothes and cars together toilet flushing as surely this also raises the water level. 

 

In case anyone is confused.

 

From the article:
"Iceberg A23a, a massive block of ice covering around 3,500 square kilometres – an area over twice the size of Greater Bangkok – has been lodged off South Georgia Island, near Antarctica since it detached from the ice sheet in 1986."

 

In other words, the ice of Iceberg A23a was already in the sea in 1986. The detachment from the ice sheet does not cause any sea-level rise. When sea water freezes, there is no fall in sea level. When the ice melts, there is no rise in sea levels.
However, when the origin of the iceberg is due to a melting glacier on land, which slides into the sea, then the sea-level immediately rises because of the additional water in the form of ice, but the sea-level does not continue to rise as the iceberg melts.

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, George Bowman said:

Now I am really confused. Many years back, another Thai expert said that Thailand had nothing to fear from the melting icebergs simply because they were to far away from the Land of Smiles...😁

Science is not static👍

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Melting icebergs do not raise sealevel. Melting glaciers and other ice and snow mass above sealevel are what cause sealevel rise.

Thank you for some common sense... as you say a floating/melting iceberg has no effect on sea levels.

[quake]

Is this a dry run for the annual April fools joke on AN.

[Peterphuket]

April 1 is early this year.

[renaissanc]

My wife and I moved from Thung Kru, Samuthprakarn 6 or 7 years ago. The tell-tale signs of future flooding were already clear back then. By a stroke of luck, we managed to sell our house to a neighbour who wanted to extend her living area. Now that same neighbour is trying to sell her house, but word has got out about what is coming. The housing estate already gets flooded from the sea via a canal quite often.

[RedRoadRunner]

These Thai scientists are not ok in the head...😂😂😂😂😂

[spidermike007]

Of course the melting of the massive polar ice caps and glaciers are going to have an effect on sea levels. We're already seeing much higher than normal storm swells and much more flooding than ever before, and it is just the beginning. 

 

The sceptic will argue that anything we do could not possibly influence the climate, or effect the atmosphere. The planet is simply too large, and the population is too small to have any effect. Let the ships dump whatever they want into the ocean. The ocean is simply too large for anything we do to damage it. 

 

This frees people to buy as many plastic bottles as they please, drive filthy diesel vehicles, and behave as if nothing effects anything. 

 

It's not us. It is just a cycle. We are not responsible. So stop blaming us. We can be as unconscious as we want to be, and we will do as we damn please and nobody can do anything about it. 

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Of course the melting of the massive polar ice caps and glaciers are going to have an effect on sea levels. We're already seeing much higher than normal storm swells and much more flooding than ever before, and it is just the beginning. 

 

The sceptic will argue that anything we do could not possibly influence the climate, or effect the atmosphere. The planet is simply too large, and the population is too small to have any effect. Let the ships dump whatever they want into the ocean. The ocean is simply too large for anything we do to damage it. 

I think you're missing the science.

An iceberg is a floating lump of ice, once it's floating, it can no longer change the sea level, even if melted.

This is essentially different to a glacier that sits on land.

 

I thought it was us right wingers that weren't educated?

 

Same for the Arctic ice cap, it's floating so won't affect sea levels if it melts.

Antarctic is ice on top of a continent, so it will affect sea levels if it melts.

[Caldera]

Alright them, let's enjoy Thailand's beaches while we can... 

[Hardcastle P]

5 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Melting icebergs do not raise sealevel. Melting glaciers and other ice and snow mass above sealevel are what cause sealevel rise.

 The volume of ice above sea leval will also melt and cause the sea to rise by that volume therefor your theory is not correct. 

[tuktuktuk]

27 minutes ago, Hardcastle P said:

 The volume of ice above sea leval will also melt and cause the sea to rise by that volume therefor your theory is not correct. 

You should delete your post before anyone else has a chance to read it. 

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, Hardcastle P said:

 The volume of ice above sea leval will also melt and cause the sea to rise by that volume therefor your theory is not correct. 

Icebergs and frozen seawater also melt in warm temperatures but are not significant contributors to sea level rise. This is because they are already in the water. The volume of water they displace as ice is about the same as the volume of water they add to the ocean when they melt.Nov 5, 2024
 

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/resources/lesson-plan/whats-causing-sea-level-rise-land-ice-vs-sea-ice/

[digger70]

Thailand's Coastline Threatened by Melting Iceberg, Expert Warns

 

Here we go again  climate change on a Big scale.

Who are those Experts  , what are they smoking/inhaling/taking .

Scare mongering  at its best Ocean water level isn't going to rise  the ice is already in /under the water .

If  if it  ever gets Too close . Blow i upin smaller ice blocks and tow it  back .

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

April 1st is next week!

[Donald Bright]

11 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Well this is good....When the  icebergs get here we can capture the Polar Bears off the icebergs and put them in the Zoo with Moo Dang....

 

 

There are no polar bears in Antarctica,  only in the Arctic.

[DonniePeverley]

I don't think Thailand is in any position to be hypocritical and lecture anyone or worry about the problems - they actively allow 40 million tourists to use planes to travel into their country. No attempt made for quality tourists, they actively encourage more mass cheap tourism.

 

As a result they are already damaging their beautiful islands and coastlines. 

 

Servicing 40 million tourists is a hell hole for the enviromental. Think of where that rubbish, plastic, sewage all go. 

[Merrill]

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I think you're missing the science.

An iceberg is a floating lump of ice, once it's floating, it can no longer change the sea level, even if melted.

This is essentially different to a glacier that sits on land.

 

I thought it was us right wingers that weren't educated?

 

Same for the Arctic ice cap, it's floating so won't affect sea levels if it melts.

Antarctic is ice on top of a continent, so it will affect sea levels if it melts.

Millions of Chines not using the toilets provided and pissing into the sea is the main reason for the rise Ice does not have an effect

[kwilco]

How's about this Steve Stockman on the American's  Republican House of representative committee on SCIENCE SPACE and TECHNOLOGY - unbelievable!!

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CJcGHDfxD/

 

 

[Tarteso]

Titanic 2 (Thai version).

[Red Phoenix]

Whenever the semi-sciency catchphrase 'experts warn' is used in a fear-porn article or study (especially if the looming disaster will only materialize years in the future), put on your critical thinking glasses...