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Climate Change: Tides of change/Intensification of Storms in Asia/Intense heatwaves will deplete tourism income/Threats from floods and drought/Eco-friendly disaster products/Energy: Thailand’s Renewable Energy Potential/Role of Fossil Fuels/Floating Solar System/Solar-powered air-conditioned bus shelter/Asia Green Energy shifts to biomass/Water: Mekong hydropower projects pose risks/Thailand boosts climate resilience/Eco-friendly seaport model/Air: PM2.5 Pollution Crisis/ASEAN trio clean air initiative/Chiang Rai project to reduce air pollution/Bangkok to Ban Trucks/Plastics: Are bioplastics the wonder alternative/Start-up sweeps up ocean plastic/Envicco plastic waste-recycling/Recycling: Grease into green efforts/First fully recycled c-Si module/Bangchak forges deal with CPF/No to waste colonialism/Electric vehicles: EGAT to add 110 EV charging outlets/Thailand’s Electric Two-Wheeler Market/EV Makers To Bet $20 Billion/EVs expected to number 85 million/New hydrogen car/Eco-tourism: Thale Noi: Thailand’s hidden gem/

Tides of change

In the coastal village of Khun Samut Chin, just outside Bangkok, the effects of climate change have become a harsh reality for 19-year-old Arisa Pholthaisong. A recent high school graduate and mother to a one-year-old daughter, Arisa finds herself at the forefront of Thailand’s environmental crisis.

Her story, like those of many young people today, is a reflection of struggle and resilience in the face of a climate disaster she had no hand in creating. Continued …

The Intensification of Storms in Asia: A Climate Change Reality

The recent years have witnessed a significant intensification of storms in Asia, a phenomenon that scientists attribute to the ongoing impacts of climate change.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that Asia remained the most disaster-hit region in 2023, with floods and storms causing the highest number of casualties and economic losses. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events. Continued …

Intense heatwaves will deplete Thailand’s tourism income

A research fellow at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has warned that intense heatwaves resulting from so-called “global boiling” will almost certainly reduce the country’s revenue from tourism.

Nopparuj Chindasombatcharoen gave the warning during the TDRI annual public conference for 2024 at Samyan Mitr Town Hall last week. Nopparuj said Thailand was at risk of topping the 48 countries projected to lose tourism revenue due to intense heatwaves and rising temperatures caused by this weather phenomenon. Continued …

Thai industrial sector warned of threats from floods and drought

The Thai industrial sector is at risk of flood and drought triggered by global warming, and those disasters were likely to become more severe in the future, the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) warned on Wednesday.

During the annual public conference at Samyan Mitrtown shopping mall in Bangkok, the institute’s research fellow, Nopparuj Chindasombatcharoen, predicted industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani provinces to be at risk of inundation. Continued … 

Eco-friendly disaster products to be produced in Thailand

The Industry Ministry is promoting an eco-friendly disaster prevention industry to boost Thailand’s resilience against natural disasters, as well as for export.

Industry Minister Akanat Promphan said on Tuesday that the initiative aimed to deal with climate change, especially flooding in many areas across Thailand, which this year caused more than 3.1 billion baht of damage to lives and properties. Continued …

Thailand’s Renewable Energy Potential

Dr. Marko Lackovic, managing director and partner, Boston Consulting Group, and Suncica Zdunic, project leader, Boston Consulting Group, participated in a discussion about how renewable energy is a pivotal force in the global energy transition, particularly in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, and Thailand has a valuable role to play.

Despite starting from a low base, renewable energy is experiencing robust growth in APAC, with installed generation capacity increasing at an average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%. By 2030, renewable energy is expected to account for 30% to 50% of the power generation mix across most APAC markets. Continued …

The Role of Fossil Fuels in Southeast Asia’s Energy Mix

Southeast Asia’s energy landscape continues to be defined by its reliance on fossil fuels despite international efforts to promote cleaner alternatives. According to the IEA’s 2024 Southeast Asia Energy Outlook, fossil fuels have played a central role in meeting the region’s rapidly increasing energy demand over the past two decades. From 2010 to 2023, the region’s energy needs were primarily addressed through coal, oil, and natural gas, with coal being the dominant source.

Coal has been Southeast Asia’s primary beneficiary of energy growth, accounting for around 50% of the region’s electricity generation. Countries like Indonesia, which holds nearly 90% of the region’s coal production, have relied on coal to fuel their expanding industrial sectors. Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines also lean heavily on coal for electricity and other industrial applications such as steel production and manufacturing. Continued …

TotalEnergies ENEOS Completes Floating Solar System Project

TotalEnergies ENEOS has successfully completed the installation of a 1.8-megawatt-peak (MWp) floating solar photovoltaic (PV) system project in Thailand with S. Kijchai Enterprise, a Thailand-based manufacturer of wood-based panels.

This is the second PV system that TotalEnergies ENEOS has installed for the company within four years and the first floating solar PV system for TotalEnergies ENEOS in Asia Pacific. Continued … 

Bangkok’s first solar-powered air-conditioned bus shelter debuts

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt inaugurated the city’s first solar-powered, air-conditioned bus shelter in front of Seacon Bangkae shopping mall on Oct. 28. The “Seacon Air Condition Solar Bus Station” is a continuation of Bangkok’s project to introduce modern, energy-efficient bus shelters, following the success of the first station at Seacon Square Srinakarin.

This partnership between Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Seacon Bangkae, and Cool Cool Co. symbolizes the collaborative effort to enhance urban living and promote eco-friendly solutions in public transportation. Continued …

Asia Green Energy shifts to biomass

Asia Green Energy, a Thai bituminous trader and logistics service provider, is restructuring its business by focusing more on the green segment, following its new biomass acquisition.

The company is buying an additional 292.1 million shares in Asia Biomass Plc (ABM), a manufacturer of biomass-derived fuels, for 380 million baht, said Panita Kuansataporn, deputy managing director of Asia Green Energy. Continued …

Mekong hydropower projects said pose risks to Thai environment, economy

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says transboundary hydropower dam projects along the Mekong River pose a risk to Thailand’s environment, economy and community safety.

In a letter submitted to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the NHRC said it had outlined its concerns regarding four hydropower dam projects: the Ban Koum Dam, the Sanakham Dam, the Phou Ngoy Dam and the Pak Chom Dam, all on the Lower Mekong along the Thai-Lao border. The developers are registered Thai companies. Continued …

Thailand boosts climate resilience in coastal areas with UN grant

Thailand is enhancing its capacity to tackle the escalating threat of climate change, particularly in its marine and coastal areas. This initiative, a collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is titled “Increasing Resilience to Climate Change Impacts in Marine and Coastal Areas along the Gulf of Thailand”, and is supported by a US$3 million (101.2 million baht) grant from the Green Climate Fund.

Since its launch in August 2020, this four-year project aims to create effective solutions to mitigate Thailand’s vulnerability to climate change, with Rayong, Phetchaburi, Surat Thani, and Songkhla selected as pilot regions. Continued …

Thailand develops eco-friendly seaport model

Thailand is striving to implement environmental protection and social sustainability solutions in developing the country’s major infrastructure projects, such as the development of Phase 3 of Laem Chabang Port, Thailand’s only deep-sea port.

Ranked among the top 20 busiest ports worldwide, Laem Chabang Port, located in Chonburi Province in eastern Thailand, is constructing a new U-shaped wharf, 800 meters wide and 2,000 meters long, aiming to increase the port’s annual container handling capacity from 11 million TEU to 18 million TEU. This project is an essential part of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Development Plan and is one of 15 infrastructure projects prioritized by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s administration. Continued …

PM Promises To Tackle PM2.5 Pollution Crisis

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has announced decisive action to combat PM2.5 pollution in Thailand. These solid particulate matters, smaller than 2.5 microns, are wreaking havoc on public health, particularly during the cold season.

The fine dust can clog lungs, causing respiratory issues and other health concerns. In response, Paetongtarn’s government has identified agricultural practices and vehicle emissions as primary contributors to the pollution. Continued …

ASEAN trio agree on clean air initiative

Three Southeast Asian countries — Thailand, Laos and Myanmar — have launched a “Clear Sky Strategy 2024-2030” to solve the problems of cross-border smoke and haze pollution.

The launch ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, with minister Maris Sangiampongsa joining Chalermchai Sri-on, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. Also taking part were Bounkham Vorachit and Khin Maung Yi, the natural resources ministers of Laos and Myanmar, respectively. Continued …

Chiang Rai project aims to reduce air pollution

Two areas in Chiang Rai province have been picked to play an important role in dealing with air pollution and mitigating its impacts on the health of local residents, as well as on tourism and environment in the Mekong region.

The Thailand Environment Institute’s Wilawan Noipa notes that the air pollution in the north that occurs during the dry season from January to April is usually triggered by forest fires and crop burning. Continued …

Bangkok to Ban Trucks in ‘Low Emission’ Zones Amid Pollution Rise

In response to heightened air pollution, Bangkok is set to implement a new ban on trucks entering designated “low emission” zones. This move, introduced by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), targets the looming threat of PM2.5 pollution during the cool season, spanning from November to March.

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt announced that the zones would be declared in districts like Dusit, Phaya Thai, and Phra Nakhon when PM2.5 levels reach the red level (90µg/m3) for two consecutive days. These areas will be enforced as low emission zones with a prior 24-hour notice, remaining effective for three days. Continued …

 

Are bioplastics really the wonder alternative to petro plastics?

Alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics are emerging, made from everything from banana leaves to tomato skins, especially for food packaging. But questions remain about how biodegradable and compostable they are, as well as their impact on the environment.

Biosourced means made with less petrol, using non-fossil agricultural products such as sugarcane waste, corn, or wheat starch. Primarily used in packaging, these biosourced plastics account for less than one percent of global plastic production. But labs around the world are coming up with more and more new plastics derived from tomato skins or banana leaves. Continued …

Start-up sweeps up Thai ocean plastic

As a long-tail boat arrives at a fishing village on the southern Thai island of Koh Chang, residents gather to sell their wares — not seafood, but plastic. The villagers, members of the semi-nomadic Moken people, are selling to Tide, a start-up attempting to create new value from old plastic collected from or near the sea.

Recyclers have long scooped up some of the over six million tons of plastic that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates enters the ocean each year. But Tide works directly with everyone in the process, from collectors in remote Thai fishing villages to carpet manufacturers in the Netherlands. Continued …

Envicco plastic waste recycling project recognized

A project by Envicco, a joint-venture company founded by PTT Global Chemical to recover and sort plastic waste, has been recognized for its potential to reduce greenhouse gases to mitigate their environmental impact.

The project in Asia Industrial Estate in Rayong province entails sourcing, sorting, cleaning and recycling plastic waste into eco-friendly plastic beads in line with international standards. Continued … 

Waste Not, Want Not turns grease into green efforts

Surat Thani municipality launched an initiative titled “Waste Not, Want Not”, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by recycling used cooking oil. The project, in collaboration with the New Biodiesel Co., encourages residents to exchange used cooking oil for fresh Rin Tip brand oil.

The project’s key objective is to promote the separation of used cooking oil from the waste-management system, converting it into biodiesel, a renewable energy source. Continued …

Trinasolar produces world’s first fully recycled c-Si module

Trinasolar announced the production of the world’s first fully recycled c-Si module. The breakthrough, achieved by Trinasolar’s Research Center Academy, uses self-developed recycling technology to recover materials from waste modules, like silicon, silver, aluminium, and glass.

This was accomplished through multiple techniques, including the use of self-developed interlayer separation reagents, chemical etching technology, wet chemical silver extraction technology, and other innovative technologies. Continued …

Bangchak forges deal with CPF for oils, fats

Energy conglomerate Bangchak Corp. continues to acquire more used cooking oil to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by teaming up with Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF), which operates a variety of restaurant brands.

The cooperation agreement, which was signed on Monday, enables Bangchak and CPF to jointly manage used cooking oil and various fats from CPF’s food-production facilities, including fats from CPF’s wastewater treatment plants and affiliated companies, to produce SAF through Bangchak’s SAF production and distribution subsidiary BSGF. Continued …

Developing countries begin to say no to waste colonialism from developed nations

Despite China’s ban on solid waste imports three years ago, developed countries continue to exploit regulatory loopholes to export waste to developing countries, including China, avoiding higher recycling costs at home. Other developing countries, such as those in Southeast Asia, alongside China, have increasingly restricted foreign waste imports, but this has not halted the practice.

A key driver of this issue is the profitability and low risk of waste trafficking. Developed countries, aiming to cut costs, use “waste colonialism” as a tactic, exporting plastic and other low-value waste, Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs says. Continued …

EGAT to add 110 EV charging outlets in Thailand this year

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is intensifying its electric vehicle (EV) solution services, notably by expanding charging outlets, to capitalize on the burgeoning EV market and support Thailand’s carbon-reduction goals.

EGAT’s expansion follows its pilot-scale operations in collaboration with state agencies and building owners. EGAT aims to add 110 new EV charging outlets this year, increasing from 211 at the end of last year. Next year, the company plans to install an additional 100 outlets. Continued …

Thailand’s Electric Two-Wheeler Market

Thailand’s electric two-wheeler market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 18.4% during the forecast period (2025-2030). That growth depends on many trends, like long-range scooters that are becoming more popular as they can travel longer distances without recharging.

Also, battery types, which are sealed lead-acid batteries, battery technology, voltage, EV charging infrastructure and ride-hailing services contributed to the growth of the E2W market. Continued …

EV Makers To Bet $20 Billion On South And Southeast Asia

The building of an electric car industry in South and Southeast Asia (SSEA) will be expensive. It will involve execution risk typical for cross-border expenditure, where entities will try to anticipate shifting policies over long investment horizons. And yet, we anticipate the creation of the EV sector in SSEA will be somewhat credit positive, particularly for the Chinese car firms.

S&P Global Ratings estimates rated carmakers will be spending more than US$20 billion building electric vehicle (EV) production in this region for the next few years. The expansion will likely enhance the business strength of some rated entities. Continued … 

EVs on roads worldwide expected to number 85 million in 2025

By the end of 2025, an estimated 85 million electric vehicles (EVs), including cars, buses, vans and heavy trucks, are expected to be on the road, according to the latest forecast from U.S.-based research firm Gartner Inc. released on Monday.

Jonathan Davenport, Gartner’s senior analyst, said that despite several hurdles affecting the EV market over the past few months, the firm is projecting the number of EVs in use globally to total 64 million units in 2024 and increase by 33% in 2025. Continued …

Hyundai debuts new hydrogen car

Hyundai Motor Co. unveiled a new hydrogen-powered vehicle called Initium, which it aims to release in the first half of next year as part of its broader push into the clean-burning gas.

The concept vehicle has a target driving range of over 650 kilometers (404 miles) on a single refueling, compared with 609km for the Nexo, the South Korean carmaker’s first hydrogen-based sport utility vehicle (SUV), according to a statement. The vehicle can also be connected to a household’s electricity supply to act as a backup source of power, the company said. Continued …

Thale Noi: Thailand’s hidden gem of sustainable tourism

Thailand, known for its pristine beaches and vibrant culture, continues pushing the boundaries of sustainable tourism.

Recently, the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) submitted Thale Noi – a freshwater lake in the southern Phatthalung province – as a contender at the Skal International Sustainable Tourism Awards 2024. It won second place in the “Marine and Coastal Biodiversity” category, competing against nine other contenders. Continued …