Erosion Devours 22 Percent Of Thailand's Coastline

[webfact]

Erosion devours 22 per cent of coastline
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's 2,600-km coastline has suffered serious erosion, losing 79,000 rai of land, or 22 per cent, in the past 30 years, Chulalongkorn University scholar Thanawat Jarupongsakul said yesterday.

Thanawat, head of the CU Unit for Disaster and Land Information Studies, said the damage resulted from stronger and bigger waves triggered by climate change, while upstream dams leave less sediment at river-mouth areas. Previously, the Chao Phraya River mouth area dropped 17-18 million tonnes of sediment per year, but it now deposits only 1.6 million tonnes.

Thanawat suggested installing rows of triangle pole structures (50cm x 50cm x 50cm), with each row 150 metres from the next, at 500 metres from the shore, to cut wave impact by 40-90 per cent.

At hardest-hit Ban Khun Samut Chin in Samut Prakan's Pra Samut Chedi district, where 900 metres of land were gone as the coast eroded at 30 metres per year, a 250 metre-long structure had been built as part of a pilot project. But it is Bt10 million short of funding costs.

It could have halted erosion by over the past five years and created two metres of new land via sediment gathering, he said.


-- The Nation 2013-03-19

[keestha]

Not only in Samut Prakan. Since 2000 I live in Khao Lak, Phangnga, and the high water line has been moving further inland all the time.

[Moruya]

Where has all the coral gone?

[Locationthailand]

Some of Thailand's old buses could be sunk to create artificial reefs and can stop erosion very cheaply. The wrecks, as with using sunken shipping, can be covered in sea flora within six months naturally, fish attract to the flora and it solves an issue of where to put chassis and bus bodies. This has been used successfully offshore. Similarly the old train rolling stock in the yards behind Makasan could be used. Needless to say no motors, diffs or gearboxes or tyres. They also become attractions for divers thus a tourist draw, training ground for armed forces etc. Just a thought.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Locationthailand

[davejones]

The coastline is still there, so it hasn't been devoured - it's just moved slightly. Been happening for millions of years. Not news at all.

[Radar501]

The coastline is still there, so it hasn't been devoured - it's just moved slightly. Been happening for millions of years. Not news at all.

There weren't many human settlements along the coastline millions of years ago.

[A_Traveller]

And even less resorts "founded" by influential people who now find there square footage somewhat decreased.

Of course it couldn't happen to better people could it?

Hint: anyone ever keep up with the machinations that followed the tsunami [for public safety you understand]

[hellodolly]

Some of Thailand's old buses could be sunk to create artificial reefs and can stop erosion very cheaply. The wrecks, as with using sunken shipping, can be covered in sea flora within six months naturally, fish attract to the flora and it solves an issue of where to put chassis and bus bodies. This has been used successfully offshore. Similarly the old train rolling stock in the yards behind Makasan could be used. Needless to say no motors, diffs or gearboxes or tyres. They also become attractions for divers thus a tourist draw, training ground for armed forces etc. Just a thought.

Particularly if Thailand decides to join the 21st century with double track high speed trains there will be an abundance of rail vehicles available.

In the mean time and possibly more probable how soon before the shore line reaches Chiang Mai?

[khunken]

The coastline is still there, so it hasn't been devoured - it's just moved slightly. Been happening for millions of years. Not news at all.

If it's been happening for millions of years at the rate mentioned in

the Op it would put Thailand's coast somewhere in mid-Pacific all those years ago.

[longtom]

Thanawat, head of the CU Unit for Disaster and Land Information Studies,

said the damage resulted from stronger and bigger waves triggered by

climate change, ... <snipped>

Yeah I'm sure it has nothing to do with the destruction of almost all the mangrove 'forests' and other manmade changes on the coastline everywhere!

[hellodolly]

The coastline is still there, so it hasn't been devoured - it's just moved slightly. Been happening for millions of years. Not news at all.

There weren't many human settlements along the coastline millions of years ago.

To err is human

[asupeartea]

Sounds like an excellent excuse to rebuild it every year at taxpayer expense.

Edited March 19, 2013 by metisdead
: Font

[candypants]

there seems to be the absence of consideration that every change to a coastline is reflected elsewhere.

Many countries strictly regulate any changes to the coastline for this reason.

coastlines are always in flux.

[MESmith]

King Canute needs a work permit

[MESmith]

Thanawat, head of the CU Unit for Disaster and Land Information Studies,

said the damage resulted from stronger and bigger waves triggered by

climate change, ... <snipped>

Yeah I'm sure it has nothing to do with the destruction of almost all the mangrove 'forests' and other manmade changes on the coastline everywhere!

+1

[canuckamuck]

I would imagine erosion is affecting 100% of coastlines. It would e very unusual if it wasn't.

[JetsetBkk]

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's 2,600-km coastline has suffered serious erosion, losing 79,000 rai of land, or 22 per cent, in the past 30 years, Chulalongkorn University scholar Thanawat Jarupongsakul said yesterday.

79,000 rai is about 125 sq km.

Thailand is about 500,000 sq km.

So where does this figure of 22% come from?

Maybe Chulalongkorn should suggest K. Jarupongsakul forget about climate change and do a bit more arithmetic. We have enough garbage coming from Al Gore without the Thais getting in on the act.

[overherebc]

Some of Thailand's old buses could be sunk to create artificial reefs and can stop erosion very cheaply. The wrecks, as with using sunken shipping, can be covered in sea flora within six months naturally, fish attract to the flora and it solves an issue of where to put chassis and bus bodies. This has been used successfully offshore. Similarly the old train rolling stock in the yards behind Makasan could be used. Needless to say no motors, diffs or gearboxes or tyres. They also become attractions for divers thus a tourist draw, training ground for armed forces etc. Just a thought.

Particularly if Thailand decides to join the 21st century with double track high speed trains there will be an abundance of rail vehicles available.

In the mean time and possibly more probable how soon before the shore line reaches Chiang Mai?

I take it you are talking about the remains of the ones that fell off the track.

[IsaanUSA]

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's 2,600-km coastline has suffered serious erosion, losing 79,000 rai of land, or 22 per cent, in the past 30 years, Chulalongkorn University scholar Thanawat Jarupongsakul said yesterday.

79,000 rai is about 125 sq km.

Thailand is about 500,000 sq km.

So where does this figure of 22% come from?

Maybe Chulalongkorn should suggest K. Jarupongsakul forget about climate change and do a bit more arithmetic. We have enough garbage coming from Al Gore without the Thais getting in on the act.

I'm not going to bother doing any math, but I'm pretty sure the 22% is in reference to coastline, not total land area of the country.

[hellodolly]

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's 2,600-km coastline has suffered serious erosion, losing 79,000 rai of land, or 22 per cent, in the past 30 years, Chulalongkorn University scholar Thanawat Jarupongsakul said yesterday.

79,000 rai is about 125 sq km.

Thailand is about 500,000 sq km.

So where does this figure of 22% come from?

Maybe Chulalongkorn should suggest K. Jarupongsakul forget about climate change and do a bit more arithmetic. We have enough garbage coming from Al Gore without the Thais getting in on the act.

Nothing wrong with his math. I see you don't understand All Gore either. He said nothing about any thing but the coast line.

Edited March 19, 2013 by hellodolly

[DeepInTheForest]

There is no mention in this article of the destruction of mangroves by shrimp farming operations and coastline "development". Mangrove loss can lead to erosion, or increase existing erosion, and is often cited as a leading factor in shoreline loss.

Of course this varies by region, and other causes must be considered as well, e.g., sedimentation deficits as a result of river damming, and the wave and storm dynamics (certainly exacerbated by global warming) mentioned by the professor.

It is good to read and learn, is it not? ....

_{Coastal erosion is accelerated with the destruction of mangrove forests that normally provide protection from erosion. Thousands of abandoned shrimp ponds in coastal areas of Thailand represent decades of mangrove destruction. It is therefore necessary to rehabilitate these sites in the interests of coastal protection.}

... Samut Sakhon is located approximately 50 km from Bangkok. Because of its proximity to the capital, coastal development began at this site in the 1970s. As there were no legislative restrictions on coastal development at that time, poorly planned coastal developments were carried out up to the very edge of the coast; this practice is now prohibited by law. Inland damming at the upper reaches also was actively conducted. Sediment is transported from the upper reach to lower lands and accumulates there. Reduced flux of sediment due to hydraulic dam had severe impacts on changes of Samut Sakhon coastlines. Under the influence of direct wave/wind attack and without protection from mangrove forests, unprecedented coastal erosion has occurred in this region. Mangrove plantations in vulnerable areas could be beneficial for long-term coastal protection both to continuous erosion and to severe hazard such as tsunami. The presence of mangrove as well as continuous riverine sediment flux is essential to maintain coastal stability.

As any reduction in sediment supply from the major rivers is likely to influence the retreat of the coastline in the study region, complete protection against coastal erosion is not possible; however, the planting of mangroves is a potentially effective measure in lowering the present erosion rate. Mangrove-planting techniques should therefore be developed to cope with coastal erosion, especially in terms of adequate species selection, site identification, and additional measures such as soil amendment application.The study site was highly polluted as indicated by water, sediment, and biological measurements, which could be influenced by the surrounding areas. Mangrove soils have a large buffering capacity for pollutants [36]. However, its capacity has a limit. With excessive loadings, mangrove soil can no longer retain pollutants, and consequently marine ecology and fishery resources will be severely damaged. Considering the pollution level of the study area, it should be necessary to watch carefully a status of pollution level of mangrove area in order to prevent drastic marine pollution.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijeco/2012/171876/

Edited March 19, 2013 by DeepInTheForest

[JetsetBkk]

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's 2,600-km coastline has suffered serious erosion, losing 79,000 rai of land, or 22 per cent, in the past 30 years, Chulalongkorn University scholar Thanawat Jarupongsakul said yesterday.

79,000 rai is about 125 sq km.

Thailand is about 500,000 sq km.

So where does this figure of 22% come from?

Maybe Chulalongkorn should suggest K. Jarupongsakul forget about climate change and do a bit more arithmetic. We have enough garbage coming from Al Gore without the Thais getting in on the act.

Nothing wrong with his math. I see you don't understand All Gore either. He said nothing about any thing but the coast line.

OK, I get it. So he's saying that over the last 30 years, 22% of the coastline has been eroded to some extent. This could be maybe 2 feet, maybe a mile, and altogether 79,000 rai of land has been eaten away.

So the land area lost is 0.025%.

And I do understand Al Gore. Perfectly. And the way this "report" is written could be right out of the Al Gore school of BS.

Edited March 19, 2013 by JetsetBkk