@THAILAND
APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Coastal erosion is being tackled by separate agencies adopting different means to achieve a common goal.
Two key organisations tailoring models to deal with the problem are the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Maritime Promotion Department.
The two departments have similar tasks, but approach the erosion problem from different angles. Geography has a lot to do with designing tools to tackle erosion.
Nisakorn Kositratna, chief of the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, said his section was studying a variety of designs of wave breakers to keep erosion at bay.
"But it's not an easy task. We need to draw up a comprehensive study on different designs of wave breakers," he said.
"Now we have hired a consultancy company to study the problem," added Mr Nisakorn.
The department's preliminary studies found that in Bangkok, Chachoengsao and Samut Sakhon, wave breakers made from bamboo were more effective in easing erosion, while artificial reefs from concrete pillars were more suitable in Samut Songkhram.
Experiments indicated there was a greater build-up of sediment and marine life near the bamboo wave breakers.
The Maritime Promotion Department has commissioned four erosion-fighting projects in Samut Prakan as well as in parts of Samut Sakhon and Chachoengsao.
The department has piled up sausage-shaped sandbags to stall the erosion.
Pongwan Jarudechar, the chief survey engineer at the Maritime Promotion Department, said the department hopes its substantial efforts keep the shoreline from being eaten away.
"We have been asked by villagers to find some solutions. According to our studies, we have found that concrete walls are suitable for the southern coastline because the soil there is rather solid.
"Groin and sausage-shaped sandbags, on the other hand, are suitable materials for soft soil along most parts of the Gulf of Thailand shores," he explained.
The Maritime Promotion Department has also expanded the projects to the eastern provinces of Chon Buri, Rayong and Chanthaburi.
Mr Pongwan said the department has finished building a breakwater at the mouth of the Rayong river and completed construction of sea walls at Kungwiman cove in Chanthaburi.
"Next year we will construct a further three kilometres of breakwaters in Sattahip district of Chon Buri.
"We are also in the process of studying the possibility of laying a breakwater in Laem Sing district of Chanthaburi as well," he said.
Mr Pongwan dispelled fears the breakwaters would worsen erosion. The problem will not go away if authorities do nothing, he said.
"What we did is an attempt to improve the situation. We have received praise from local villagers," he said.
Coastal erosion has been only recognised as a pressing problem in recent years, despite the problem being around for decades.
The keen interest of people in global warming has helped shed light on coastal erosion, which is blamed for the disappearance of 82 kilometres of coastline in the upper section of the Gulf of Thailand alone.
About 21% of the country's 2,667 kilometres of shoreline is being destroyed by erosion, according to reliable statistics.
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