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Growing trees: A new way of making merit
This year, Visakha Bucha Day falls on Wednesday, May 22. Buddhists worldwide will make merit (tam boon), observe religious precepts and perform the traditional religious ceremony wian tian, walking around the temple’s main chapel in the evening in remembrance of the Buddha’s purity, wisdom and compassion to all beings.
May 22 is also Thailand National Arbor Day. To celebrate these special days, the Tree for Dhamma Foundation, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and their alliances have invited residents to make merit by planting trees through the “Wian Tian Using Tree Seedlings” activity. Continued …
Thai solar panels exported to the US likely to face a 250% tariff wall
The White House said it would protect domestic solar factories from Chinese competition by scrapping a tariff exemption for imported double-sided panels and making it easier for projects to claim a subsidy for using American-made products.
The moves come as President Joe Biden touts his economic policies ahead of a November election against his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. As part of the fight against climate change, Biden has sought to expand investment in the manufacturing of clean energy products, aiming to reduce the nation’s reliance on Chinese-made goods. Continued …
Solar Energy projects for Thai Schools are being implemented
Integrating solar energy projects in the Thai school curriculum marks a significant stride toward promoting sustainable energy usage. Here’s a closer look at the benefits and challenges involved in this initiative.
Incorporating solar energy projects into Thai schools introduces abundant benefits. Not only does it equip future generations with hands-on knowledge about green energy, but it also presents immediate sustainability effects. By transforming schools into mini power plants, we see reductions in energy expenses and overall national petroleum fuel consumption by approximately 15.95%. Continued …
New Zealand-Thailand Partnership Focused on Green Building
Beca, a leading New Zealand-headquartered advisory, design and engineering consultancy, is positioned to play a key role in Thailand’s future development, following Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to Thailand on April 17.
Beca CEO Amelia Linzey joined the New Zealand business delegation on the trip, highlighting the strong partnership between the two nations in driving green building and smart infrastructure initiatives. Continued …
PrimeStreet, Photon unite for renewable energy
PrimeStreet Capital, a Bangkok-based global venture capital (VC) fund manager, has signed an agreement with Photon Group, a Japanese asset management firm, aiming to pour US$50 million worth of investment into clean energy across Southeast Asia.
Supavat Cholvanich, a co-founder and partner of PrimeStreet Capital, said the alliance would focus investment in the renewable energy industry, with a plan to establish and jointly manage a clean energy fund. Continued …
CP Foods drives sustainable surplus food management
Charoen Pokphand Foods has reaffirmed its dedication to food security through sustainable management of surplus food and reduction of food waste across its operations.
Along with this mission, CP Foods is spearheading its involvement in the “Thailand’s Food Bank” initiative. This collaboration involves the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), the SOS Foundation, and private sector partners to reduce food waste in landfills. Continued …
IEAT and EEC Policy Committee to Establish Circular Industrial Estate
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Policy Committee to advance the development of Thailand’s first circular industrial estate. This initiative aligns with sustainable and environmentally friendly development principles.
The collaboration focuses on efficient resource utilization, promoting recycling, and minimizing waste to achieve sustainability. Continued …
Park battles rising tide of rubbish
According to Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park officials, marine officers will step up their work collecting floating rubbish around the popular Koh Phi Phi beach, which has been swept in by the monsoon season weather cycle.
The park was spurred into action after Facebook posts by Assoc. Prof. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a noted marine environment academic and lecturer at Kasetsart University, went viral. The posts depict garbage accumulating off Koh Phi Phi Leh, one of a string of Phi Phi islands and a popular dive spot. Continued …
Banks backing Mekong hydropower failing on due diligence
Major banks operating in Thailand and Vietnam aren’t doing enough to address the environmental and human rights consequences of their investments in large-scale hydropower dams along the Mekong River, according to a new report.
The report, by Fair Finance Asia, a network of more than 90 civil society organizations led by Oxfam, and Netherlands-based sustainability research organization Profundo, scrutinized the policies of three banks based in Thailand and three based in Vietnam, including their capacity to uphold their publicly stated environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments. Continued …
Swiss Re Foundation aims to boost environmental innovations
Swiss Re Foundation is bringing its flagship initiative, Shine, to Southeast Asia for the first time, as it aims to replicate the success from Shine chapters in other regions. Since inception in India in 2018, Shine has expanded to Brazil, Slovakia, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK, U.S., and now Southeast Asia.
The program, which seeks to boost innovation in critical impact areas – such as the net-zero transition, health and nutrition, financial literacy, socio-economic well-being, skills development, climate-smart agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and coastal resilience – is open to social entrepreneurs in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Continued …
Extreme Weather Leaves Over 10 Million Thai Kids in Trouble
The month of May marks the start of the rainy season in Thailand, bringing much-needed relief from the intense heat from the previous months. However, the extreme weather has already made a negative impact on Thai people, including children.
In April, temperatures soared to 45 degrees Celsius in many areas. All 36 districts in Thailand’s 77 provinces recorded their highest temperatures in April, with 26 provinces experiencing temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius. Continued …
Terrestrial wildlife as indicators of microplastic pollution in western Thailand
Plastic pollution in terrestrial wildlife represents a new conservation challenge, with research in this area, especially within protected areas (PAs), being scant. This study documents the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial wildlife both inside and outside PAs in western Thailand.
Carcasses of road-killed vertebrates in good condition, as well as live tadpoles, were collected to examine their exposure to plastic pollution. The digestive tracts of the vertebrate carcasses and the entire bodies of tadpoles were analyzed for MPs, which were identified if they measured over 50 µm. Continued …
Bangkok to host September paper recycling event
The Millennium Hilton Bangkok has been chosen as the venue for the first Paper Recycling Confex Asia event, schedule to take place Sept. 22-23, in that city.
The conference and exhibition has been organized by Media Fusion, the Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based publishers of Waste & Recycling magazine. Continued …
The Doomsday Glacier in Antarctica is melting faster than scientists thought
Scientists have uncovered evidence of “vigorous melting” at Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, according to a new study published Monday. And for the first time, there is visible evidence that shows warm seawater pumping underneath the glacier.
The Thwaites Glacier, part of the vast West Antarctic Ice Sheet, is one of the world’s fastest-changing and most unstable glaciers. It’s called the Doomsday Glacier because of its potential to dramatically raise sea levels in places such as Florida (or Bangkok), and it has been studied for years as an indicator of human-caused climate change. Continued …
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