Thai River Water Quality

major water resources survey resulted that the water quality in 4 main rivers namely Chao Pra Ya River, Tha Chin River, Bang Pakong River and Mae Klong River were in deteriorated state. Particularly, the section of Chao Pra Ya River in BMR and Samutprakarn, Tha Chin River from Nakhorn Pathom to Samutsakorn. Other major rivers, the water quality was also degraded by the contamination of coliform bacteria when rivers flew trough large communities as municipalities that may cause the digestive system illness. And during dry season dissolved oxygen (DO) value was lower than the aquatic organism living limit. It was found that the most deteriorated water quality areas, central part of Thailand, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) loading came from domestic wastewater more than 50 % of total, in some area most BOD loading was from discharged from industrial and agricultural activities, particularly the stock raising. In northeastern, even greater in watershed area but the BOD loading was lower than other part of Thailand.

Thus the prevention and eradication of domestic wastewater problem is priory by establishment of the effective central treatment facilities for communities, so effluent quality will meet standard before emitting into the natural water resources. At present, there are totally 76 domestic wastewater treatment facilities; 31 operated, 8 waiting to be handed over, and 37 under construction. From 76 facilities; there are 68 in municipalities, 7 in BMR and one in Samut Pakarn province. There are also feasibility projects to construct 130 domestic wastewater treatment facilities. According to the increasing of central wastewater treatment plants and collection system, under the action plans for river basins and the provincial environmental management plans, the water quality trends to reach the target in the future.

Water quality forecast : the wastewater management in BMR and vicinity in year B.E. 2549 (2006) will improve the water quality in Chao Pra Ya river as dissolved oxygen (DO) trend to increase while the pollutants volume will be eradicated. While water quality in lower part of Tha Chin river will reach the target (Do effluent reach 2.0 mg/l) in year B.E. 2554 (2011) if 70 percent of BOD loading from point sources is reduced. The water quality in other rivers, in the central part of Thailand, is currently fair, it therefor is needed the proper management to maintain the quality to be at this level or better condition.

In the eastern region, the construction of wastewater treatment plants as a part of the water quality management will be started from B.E.2548 (2005). The water quality of Nakhon Nayok river will follow the Class 2 of Surface Water Quality Standards (aquatic organism conservation and fisheries). The Bangpakong river and Prachinburi river the water quality in the picture whole trend to be in Class 3 (agriculture) excluding in some industrial and agricultural areas, similarly to the water quality in Rayong, Trad and Chuntaburi river.

The major rivers in southern as Pak Phanang, Tapi- Phum Duang and Pattani rivers, the water quality will reach the target (Class 3) in year B.E. 2549 (2006) due to water quality management that controls the main pollution point sources. The limitation of water discharge from shrimp farms, factories and domestic wastewater treatment plants construction will preserve the water quality in Songkhla lake as water resource in Class 2 and 3.

The major rivers in Northern as Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan rivers, the water quality in general is fair (Class 3 and 4) and can be improve to be better condition in regard to Surface Water Quality Standards Class 2 and 3 within next 10 years. Because of management of waste from various point sources is compatible with effluent control standards.

The major river in Northeastern as Pong, Chi, and Mun rivers, the water quality was reasonably good. But there was the problem during flowing through factories and condensed communities, particularly in dry season. The effective control of wastewater from point sources can improve the quality of those water resources from Class 3 and 4 to Class 2 within next 10 year.

Thai Coastal Water Quality

at present there are still problems of water pollution and degradation of water resources in some coastal area but they are not critical. The wastewater that was discharged from communities, agriculture, aquaculture, tourism caused those problems. Some industrial development emits waste into marine water resources without any proper treatment process, including the marine pollution accidents. In B.E. 2542 (1999) Pollution Control Department (PCD) monitored Thai coastal water quality twice, each time 218 stations in 23 seaside provinces both rainy and dry reasons at 100 and 500 meter offshore. The result determined that coastal water quality both in Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea trend to be better than the previous years. Only some area needs more attention and monitoring such as mouths of Chao Pra Ya and Bangpakong river, Bangtaboon canal in Banleam, Petchburi province, Bandon Bay in Surattani province, Banpakbara beach, Bantoong Rin in Satool province and Patong in Phuket province. The water quality in those areas did not follow the Coastal Water Quality Standard, particularly the contamination of coliform bacteria which exceeded 1,000 units (MPN/100 ml), DO lower than 4.0 mg/l. The nutrient elements, higher than the standard, may cause the algae boom or Red Tide phenomena.

To prevent and control wastewater pollution from domestic, coastal aquaculture, fishery activities, piggery farms, factories and other activities, PCD has established several draft regulations and standards such as Piggery Effluence Standard, Pier Effluence Standard, and Shrimp Farm Effluence Standard. Those standards will be used to control the owners to treat wastewater stated as before emitting to the receiving water. The collection and treatment system of wastewater from domestic activities, coastal aquaculture, fishery activities, piggery farms, and factories is an option to mitigate wastewater problems. Nevertheless, more measures have to be established and enforced effectively to solve this problem so the effluent quality will subsequently follow the effluent standards before discharged to natural water resources.

Air Quality

the measurement of air quality around Thailand from January to November B. E. 2542 (1999) indicated that particulate matter (PM) still major problem as the previous year, however, the severity is decreasing. While O3 value rarely exceeded the standards. Comparison to 1998, air quality in year 1999 has been better in the ways of less pollutant amount. It is expected that air pollution problem trends to be reduced in the next millenium regarding to the continuous implementation of the strategy to control emission from several point sources such as vehicles, factories, and business places. In addition, unrecovered economic crisis affected the activities of major air pollution point source such as transportation, construction, including factories, other business places, etc. was still slackened.

Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) : the suspended particulate matter remained the major air pollution problem, O3 and CO (8-hr. average) significantly exceeded the standards and NO2 and SO2 were below the standards.

Vicinity : due to similarity of pollution point source in BMR and vicinity as congested traffic areas, number of factories and business places, the major air pollution problem was particulate matter. As for O3, the value was slightly higher than the standards while the concentration of CO, NO2 and SO2 was below the standards.

Regions : in other provinces, suspended particulate matter was also important air pollution problem, particularly in major city as Chiangmai, Songkha, etc. followed with O3. In some areas which air pollution source is located e.g. mining industry in Saraburi province, the major source of dust, the suspended particulate matter was distinguished pollution problem. In Mae Moh area, Lumpang province where the power plants and coal mining are located, the amount of particulate matter was slightly higher than standards during the beginning period of year 1999.

Noise Pollution

Noise pollution problem in roadside areas in the next year is predicted to be still a problem and might increase in new constructed areas. In addition, the number of nuisance problems will rise because of public transport expansion projects in all over Thailand, which will not only on land projects but also waterways and airports.

Survey of noise level from vehicles that traveled in BMR and vicinity in 1998 reported that non-fixed route buses was the major noise source in these areas, 76 % of exceeded standard noise was generated by them. Meanwhile, only 10% was produced by trucks, 7% came from motorcycles and 1% was released from benzene automobiles (noise level from vehicle exhaust pipe shall not exceed 100 dB(A)). Therefore, in 2000, the non-fixed route buses are the important targets that their emitted noise are going to be controlled.

The number of case of public complaint caused by noise pollution from industrial activities, constructed areas and entertainment activities in 1999 are as similar as the previous year (61 cases in 1998, 62 cases between 1 January and 7 December 1999). In 2000, the record of complaint might increase due to public petitions. People tend to petition the relevant agencies to set up or do an effective enforcement to reduce noise pollution.

Vibration

Solid waste prognosis and trend

The community solid waste generated across the country was 13.8 million tons per year or 37,880 tons per day. The solid waste increasing rate was only 1.7% as a result of economic crisis affecting people’s consumption. In the urban area, solid waste was not increased because of the less employment, including the waste collection and recycling was more promoted.

The collection services from residential, community and public areas were inefficient due to the limitation of fee collection, which affected the service development. However, solid waste collection in urban areas was higher rate; therefore, the leftover was reduced.

In the past, most of local government authorities, particularly BMA and the vicinity provinces, have to individually deal with their solid waste management. The metropolitans, such as City Municipalities and Town Municipalities, have constructed the sanitary landfill. The problem of operation and maintenance; especially, budget and manpower limitation, also the inefficiency to pick up the tipping fee with good administration have been existing. Some disposal facilities were also encountered with the public resentment including acquisitive land to construct such facilities.

A long-term guideline to solve this problem is the establishment of integrated solid waste management facility in the pattern of centralized unit. This guideline will emphasize on sharing the participating disposal within the nearby communities. This pattern needs the cooperation among the relevant agencies; to minimize the capital cost, land acquisition for solid waste disposal especially the small communities. Furthermore, the private involvement should be promoted in financial and manpower resources for investment and operation cost, which are several methods such as the support of private sector for investment and operation, joint-venture in state enterprise system, and the construction facilities by government and operation by private sector, etc.

The above guideline was set up as the national policy on solid waste management in order to meet the sanitary standard with environmentally sound management. To set forth the policy, it is necessary to be implemented by the professional administration. Additionally, the Sahakarn system (the cooperation among local government), the polluter pays principle enforcement, and the public participation are strongly encouraged.

The benefit from the establishment of solid waste disposal center will be able to not only control the environmental problem effectively and reduce the land for disposing of solid waste, but also save the capital cost and the working personnel. Furthermore, the pubic will gain a better quality of life, and get the profits from the project.

Hazardous substances

even Thailand faced the economic crisis during 1999, the chemicals, toxic categorized, were imported to be used in various sectors including industry, agriculture and public health. That dispersed those chemicals to the environment, into food chain and effected health of many people. The relevant agencies continuously prevent and mitigate this hazardous substance problem and it was predicted that in the future, the use of hazardous material and chemicals in Thailand would increase due to expand of industrial and agricultural sector. The import and production of hazardous material and chemicals in the next 10 years trends to be double or 120 million tons, annual increasing 11 percent. In B.E. 2540 (1997), the consumption of chemicals was 77 million tons, particularly raw material for industrial production and pesticides, and rose continuously as flammable liquid, gas, corrosive substances and toxic substances, respectively. Thus it is expected that the hazardous substance problem will be more serious as prescribed;

1. The disasters from hazardous substances will impact to human, property and environment critically;
2. number of patients receiving herbicides and pesticides will be higher;
   
3. the accumulation of pesticides, particularly organic chemical substances group which is very toxic, persistent and moveable in environment, will be found generally, causing from agriculture developed to mono crop production and the lack of technology to eradicate the organic chemicals, used in textiles & clothing and electronic industry.

Statistic and trend of pollution complaints

according to the law, Pollution Control Department is also responsible to “the public complaints concerning on pollution problem”.

Since the pollution problems around Thailand were complained , the inspection and compliance has been done for mitigation the problems. From January 1999 to November 1999 there were 417 cases pollution , which can be divided as following;

In future the number of pollution complaints is expected to be similar to those from the previous years. The enforcement will be faster and up to date because of public participation, government reforms, more effective regulation revision, and etc.