Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan recently chaired a joint meeting of the national forest policy committee and the national marine and coastal resource policy and management committee.
During the meeting, attendees discussed and approved measures to address the issue of overlapping land claims between the locals and national forest reserves in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. The meeting resolved to revoke the overlapping parts of the national forest reserves in various areas in the province and will propose its decision to the Cabinet.
The meeting also acknowledged the 18th edition of the Thai Waterway Navigation Act 2023. The new legislation includes measures to control waste disposal in the sea from ships and offshore platforms in accordance with international standards.
Additionally, the meeting approved the establishment of 128 seagrass monitoring stations to conserve and restore seagrass resources for sustainable use in the 17 provinces along the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.
Furthermore, legal measures were approved to protect Bryde’s whales from tourism activities. There are currently just over 100 whales in Thai waters, with over 8,000 tourists per year visiting to observe the whales. The meeting recognized that the increasing popularity of the whales would attract more tourists and inevitably pose risks to their natural habitats.
In addition, Gen Prawit thanked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for implementing these policies in line with the government’s objectives, particularly in assisting citizens and conserving natural resources and the environment.
He urged responsible agencies to adhere to the meeting’s resolutions, taking into account the interests of the people and the nation, and to ensure the sustainable use and conservation of marine and coastal resources for future generations. (NNT)
