Thailand Feature Stories

27 Aug 2007
The underwater world with Songpol Tippayawong
Is the story of the lifetime work of this determined man, an ex-researcher of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and currently the Head of the Marine and Coastal Resources Unit, WWF Thailand. Pet Mania is very interested in his work and was fortunate to interview him this past August about his work, which stresses on participatory management that focuses on sustainable management of marine and coastal resources. » Read more

02 Feb 2007
WWF working towards “Fish for Tomorrow”
World Wetlands Day in the Greater Mekong
The Mekong River, its tributaries and other associated wetlands, provide some of the most productive fisheries in the world, producing 2% of the world’s annual total catch of marine and freshwater fish. 80% of the Mekong’s human population get the majority of their protein from fish. » Read more

28 Aug 2006
Police getting tough in protection of Khao Yai
While many leading expatriate conservationists based in Thailand have expressed concern over the recent awarding of UNESCO Natural World Heritage Status to the Khao Yai Forest Complex, and the Head of the Thai World Heritage Committee has suggested that if the Government goes ahead with plans for two dams in the complex it should immediately be put on the list of “World Heritage Sites in Danger” it is clear that in a country such as Thailand, the World Heritage designation can leverage significant supportive action from a wide variety of government and non-government actors. » Read more

28 Aug 2006
People and elephants - which way to go?
“In the past, the park service and villagers could not work together .” Uncle Add or Sing Suepsutta, a grey-haired, pineapple farmer expresses sadness about his experiences on his 30 rai farm and his encounters with the Kuiburi wild elephants. “ I have lost my crops due to elephants coming down to feed, hundreds of thousands of pineapples each night for the past ten years. It's stressful, but if we hurt the elephants, it is our loss; we may forfeit the property our livelihood depends on; a much bigger loss than having the elephants feed on the crops.” » Read more

14 Aug 2006
Some Lateral Thinking on the Draft Community Forestry Bill
The Thai Constitution (1997) represents an invigorating framework of extraordinary quality for environmentalists, which provides the nation with a unique advantage over all other countries in Asia. Of note, Article 46 and Article 56 of the Constitution respectively empower traditional communities and communities to participate in the management, maintenance, preservation and exploitation of natural resources, while Article 79 encourages public participation in the preservation and exploitation of natural resources.

» Read more

19 Jan 2005
Tsunami tragedy: WWF on-the-ground accounts
It has been several weeks since the Sumatran earthquake and the subsequent tsunami wreaked havoc on the Asian region, killing more than 200,000, injuring scores of people, and displacing millions from their homes. But, the memories are still fresh. The following are on-the-ground reactions from WWF staff directly affected by the tragedy and who are now focussing on humanitarian relief efforts and reconstruction issues. » Read more

10 Jan 2005
Challenges of freshwater protected areas
This article outlines some of the challenges facing conservation of freshwater ecosystems and future directions for freshwater protected area establishment and management. » Read more

12 Nov 2004
Surviving murky waters
It is the end of the monsoon season in Southeast Asia. The rains are less frequent now and the waters of the Bang Pakong River are unusually calm. This makes looking for the elusive Irrawaddy dolphin all the easier. » Read more

20 Oct 2004
Thai Divers Petition for Protection
Divers representing 170 operators across Thailand travelled on public transport in full scuba gear to present a petition supporting protection for several endangered species and their equally threatened habitats to the Thai Minister of the Environment at a recent meeting of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). » Read more

29 Dec 2003
Mekong: From threats to alternatives
The ecology of the Mekong River basin has long been threatened by unsustainable activities, but alternatives are increasingly being introduced to safeguard the basin's natural resources, prevent further destruction of biodiversity and maintain the region's food security. » Read more