BANGKOK, 22 March 2011 (NNT) – The majority of Thai people are worried about pollution in water resources and wish the government take it more serious in tackling pollution caused by the industrial sector, according to a recent survey jointly conducted by Assumption University Research Center (ABAC Poll) and Greenpeace.
The survey was conducted in conjunction with World Water Day, during 17 January to 11 March 2011 with 1,550 respondents aged between 18 and 60 years living in Bangkok and communities located near major industrial estates, including Bangpa-in in Ayutthaya, Bang Phli in Samut Prakan and Bangchan in Bangkok.
91.5% of the respondents were worried about water pollution and global warming crisis. Other water-related problems that were also a cause of concern to people were the deteriorating water condition in canals and rivers (90.3%), rubbish in waterways (89.94%), effects of water pollution on people’s health (84.5%) and chemical contamination in food chains and the environment (84.1%).
The survey also found that 74.5% of the respondents were concerned over pollution in major rivers in the central part of Thailand, including the Chao Phraya, the Bang Pakong, the Mae Klong and the Tha Chin.
About 80% of the respondents indicated that water pollution was important environmental problem that must be solved urgently. They also thought the government sector had failed in protecting water sources from pollution.
The respondents hence encouraged the public sector that it should solve pollution in the industrial sector seriously and provide people with an easy access to information on long-term government solutions to pollution, as well as toxic substances released into waterways by the industrial sector.
