A Third Of Thailand's Coastal Reefs Destroyed By Sediment

[IsaanUSA]

At Sairee Beach, in the (ought to be) tropical paradise island of Koh Tao there's a raw sewage stream bisecting the beach. If nothing gets done about such an obvious issue I don't expect nebulous notions about silt to get any priority.

How raw are we talking? Like floating poo, toilet paper and tampons?

Or sewage that has been processed?

As in black, putrid water, as the average klong/sewer you see in the cities.

I've found a photo of the area, this filth dumps straight into Koh Tao's main beach.

That actually looks like a storm drain. They have to drain it into the ocean, but they could have at least attempted to route it off to a more suitable location.

Also I'm sure some people dump rubbish into the water, there's probably algae growth, and of course there's runoff from the streets when it rains.

[Nylarac]

Tragic and disgusting and totally predictable. Thailand is a place given like a pearl to a pig.

[BookMan]

Thailand seems intent on overdeveloping and destroying so many of the very things that has made it attractive to tourists in the first place.

[IsaanUSA]

<Insert Country Here> seems intent on overdeveloping and destroying so many of the very things that has made it attractive to tourists in the first place.

There, I fixed it for you

[BookMan]

<Insert Country Here> seems intent on overdeveloping and destroying so many of the very things that has made it attractive to tourists in the first place.

There, I fixed it for you

Thanks mate. In my head I had included that part. Forgot to write it

[ScubaBuddha]

At Sairee Beach, in the (ought to be) tropical paradise island of Koh Tao there's a raw sewage stream bisecting the beach. If nothing gets done about such an obvious issue I don't expect nebulous notions about silt to get any priority.

Koh Tao has been totally destroyed over the last 10 years.

it will never get better, only worse. The island is far far too small to support the amount of development.

Killing the golden goose comes to mind.

It will get better, after humans are gone. We're just a blip on the radar to the lifespan of our planet. It would just be nice if we didn't have to take so many species with us and compound our own problems along the way.

[Tanaka]

In my youth I watched the English countryside being progressively ruined by urbanisation, now in my old age I see it being repeated in Thailand. Humanity is a blight on the face of the Earth.

Totally agree.

But we're locked into some bloody growth fixation.

Everything must to grow and consume more.

Why?

Because there are greedy, inconsiderate, uncaring people who are only interesting in filling their pockets.

[Tanaka]

Not mentioned in this article or comments is the fact that the corals in this region are facing an enormous threat from global warming. As carbon dioxide levels rise, the calcium carbonate that the hard reefs are comprised of dissolves.

http://abcnews.go.co...=1#.T2jf6NmjmWE

http://thewe.cc/wepl...arrier_reef.htm

There are other temperature-related effects as well. While I am loath to point fingers, it is worth mentioning that industrialization is the major cause of this. Before taking others to task, it is always wise to examine one's own back yard.

Global warming, what? Man, you are about 5 years behind. There is no global warming. All that talk was a lot of air steemed up mainly by a group of "scientists" wanting more funds. There is, however, a climate change which is something completely different. And this is something that occurs in global cycles and has been doing so for eons and long before any humans could have any effect on Nature. You are just showing your ignorance.

[Reasonableman]

Not mentioned in this article or comments is the fact that the corals in this region are facing an enormous threat from global warming. As carbon dioxide levels rise, the calcium carbonate that the hard reefs are comprised of dissolves.

http://abcnews.go.co...=1#.T2jf6NmjmWE

http://thewe.cc/wepl...arrier_reef.htm

There are other temperature-related effects as well. While I am loath to point fingers, it is worth mentioning that industrialization is the major cause of this. Before taking others to task, it is always wise to examine one's own back yard.

Global warming, what? Man, you are about 5 years behind. There is no global warming. All that talk was a lot of air steemed up mainly by a group of "scientists" wanting more funds. There is, however, a climate change which is something completely different. And this is something that occurs in global cycles and has been doing so for eons and long before any humans could have any effect on Nature. You are just showing your ignorance.

Roll on the next Ice Age, then

Edited March 21, 2012 by Reasonableman

[bigbamboo]

Thailand seems intent on overdeveloping and destroying so many of the very things that has made it attractive to tourists in the first place.

As the song goes, "Call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye"

[bluegum]

Koh Samet 2008,

1000 words right here (there was a smell to match)

Edited March 21, 2012 by bluegum

[IsaanUSA]

Koh Samet 2008,

1000 words right here (there was a smell to match)

Again, storm drain that has to be routed to the ocean (it's an island). They probably could have tried to route it somewhere else though.

I'm assuming that the bungalows have septic tanks? I'm also assuming there is not a sewage treatment plant on the island as well (which would still get dumped into the ocean).

It's the sad price of development.

Edited March 21, 2012 by IsaanUSA

[AleG]

Koh Samet 2008,

1000 words right here (there was a smell to match)

Again, storm drain that has to be routed to the ocean (it's an island). They probably could have tried to route it somewhere else though.

I'm assuming that the bungalows have septic tanks? I'm also assuming there is not a sewage treatment plant on the island as well (which would still get dumped into the ocean).

It's the sad price of development.

Trust me, I know sewage when I smell it...

Koh Tao doesn't have sewage treatment plants, all goes into the ground and/or into the sea.

[tlansford]

Not mentioned in this article or comments is the fact that the corals in this region are facing an enormous threat from global warming. As carbon dioxide levels rise, the calcium carbonate that the hard reefs are comprised of dissolves.

http://abcnews.go.co...=1#.T2jf6NmjmWE

http://thewe.cc/wepl...arrier_reef.htm

There are other temperature-related effects as well. While I am loath to point fingers, it is worth mentioning that industrialization is the major cause of this. Before taking others to task, it is always wise to examine one's own back yard.

Global warming, what? Man, you are about 5 years behind. There is no global warming. All that talk was a lot of air steemed up mainly by a group of "scientists" wanting more funds. There is, however, a climate change which is something completely different. And this is something that occurs in global cycles and has been doing so for eons and long before any humans could have any effect on Nature. You are just showing your ignorance.

you're joking, right?

please tell me it is irony you're using.

No one can be that naive...

OK, ... I'm afraid you are being serious...

[IsaanUSA]

Trust me, I know sewage when I smell it...

Koh Tao doesn't have sewage treatment plants, all goes into the ground and/or into the sea.

I will gladly trust you on that point!

[vijer]

Don't worry, Thailand along with the rest of the world will have depleted and destroyed the oceans within 50 years and civilization will begin to decline. The US will default on its loans to China and the Third World War will start. Billions will die and nature will have a chance to restore itself.

[h90]

Implement the law immediately! Order everyone who's causing the excessive sediment flow to do something within a month or to pay a massive fine and spend a year or two in BKK Hilton. Plus, scratch the plans for the new f.cking disney amusement park and spend it on saving the maritime wildlife!!!

A law won't help.

In which way should that law help? No one is checking, no one cares and in the fictional case that the police cares it will cost 500 Baht to ignore it.

[h90]

Not mentioned in this article or comments is the fact that the corals in this region are facing an enormous threat from global warming. As carbon dioxide levels rise, the calcium carbonate that the hard reefs are comprised of dissolves.

http://abcnews.go.co...=1#.T2jf6NmjmWE

http://thewe.cc/wepl...arrier_reef.htm

There are other temperature-related effects as well. While I am loath to point fingers, it is worth mentioning that industrialization is the major cause of this. Before taking others to task, it is always wise to examine one's own back yard.

You are a bit outdated....Sun activity is the main cause of it, not industrialization and much less than expected.

[DeepInTheForest]

Not mentioned in this article or comments is the fact that the corals in this region are facing an enormous threat from global warming. As carbon dioxide levels rise, the calcium carbonate that the hard reefs are comprised of dissolves.

http://abcnews.go.co...=1#.T2jf6NmjmWE

http://thewe.cc/wepl...arrier_reef.htm

There are other temperature-related effects as well. While I am loath to point fingers, it is worth mentioning that industrialization is the major cause of this. Before taking others to task, it is always wise to examine one's own back yard.

You are a bit outdated....Sun activity is the main cause of it, not industrialization and much less than expected.

Oh really. I'll have to catch up then, as will the scientific community. In the case of corals, we're all wondering how ocean acidification from carbon dioxide is the result of "sun activity" and not fossil fuels.

[bluegum]

Koh Samet 2008,

1000 words right here (there was a smell to match)

Again, storm drain that has to be routed to the ocean (it's an island). They probably could have tried to route it somewhere else though.

I'm assuming that the bungalows have septic tanks? I'm also assuming there is not a sewage treatment plant on the island as well (which would still get dumped into the ocean).

It's the sad price of development.

Storm drain or not, it's just a small example of how mindless coastal development leads to pollution of the marine environment. I can't speak with any authority about Koh Samet infrastructure, but my wider experience tells me that any assumptions about septic tanks for bungalows would be dangerous. The history of land 'ownership' and tourism development on Koh Samet is as murky as the black water we see running down its beaches. It stands to reason that any regulation on waste water generation, treatment and disposal is easily side-stepped.

In relation to the topic of this thread, Koh Samet is a classic example of inappropriate development. Like most coastal tourist zones areas in the gulf, the marine ecosystem there is badly degraded. The fundamentals are pretty basic - the interconnectedness of 'reef to ridge' is what's been taught in Coastal Zone Management for years! Whether its soil sediments and chemicals washed down the river systems or waste water and pollutants being dumped or allowed to drain from close proximity, in most cases both, the result is disastrous for the coastal marine environment.

Considering current trends I see no long term future for the beaches and reefs of Thailand. Once they resemble Bangkok's klongs they may get some respite as we all move to the ocean domes.

Edited March 24, 2012 by bluegum