Environment and Natural Resources Council (Thailand)

Environment and Natural Resources Council (Thailand)
Name	Environment and Natural Resources Council (Thailand)
Native name	สภาสิ่งแวดล้อมและทรัพยากรธรรมชาติ
Formation	20th century
Headquarters	Bangkok
Region served	Thailand
Leader title	Chair
Parent organization	Office of the Prime Minister (Thailand)

Environment and Natural Resources Council (Thailand) is a high-level advisory and coordinating body in Thailand tasked with advising the Prime Minister of Thailand and coordinating between ministries and agencies on environmental and natural resources policy. It interacts with executive institutions such as the Office of the Prime Minister (Thailand), statutory agencies like the Royal Forest Department (Thailand), and international partners including the United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank. The council convenes senior officials, experts, and representatives from provinces such as Chiang Mai, Songkhla, and Surat Thani to address issues ranging from forestry and fisheries to pollution and mining.

History and Establishment

The council traces antecedents to policy bodies created during administrations of leaders including Prem Tinsulanonda and Chuan Leekpai when Thailand responded to rising concerns after events like the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Formalization occurred under frameworks influenced by statutes such as the National Environmental Policy Act (Thailand) and administrative reforms during the tenure of Thaksin Shinawatra and later prime ministers. Its evolution paralleled the creation of agencies such as the Pollution Control Department (Thailand) and institutions engaged after incidents like the Mae Moh coal mine disputes and the Bangkok air pollution crisis. Regional cooperation initiatives with the ASEAN Secretariat and multilateral agreements including the Convention on Biological Diversity shaped its international role.

Mandate and Legal Framework

The council's mandate is delineated in executive orders and instruments issued by the Prime Minister of Thailand and aligns with national legislation including the National Environmental Quality Act (Thailand), the Royal Forest Department (Thailand) Act framework, and sectoral laws governing fisheries and mining such as the Fisheries Act (Thailand) and regulations impacting the Department of Mineral Resources (Thailand). It is charged with policy coordination between ministries like the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Thailand), the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (Thailand), and the Ministry of Interior (Thailand), and with ensuring compliance with international commitments such as the Paris Agreement and regional instruments like the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.

Organizational Structure and Membership

The council is chaired by a senior official appointed by the Prime Minister of Thailand and includes ministers from portfolios such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Thailand), the Ministry of Energy (Thailand), and the Ministry of Public Health (Thailand), along with heads of agencies like the Royal Thai Police, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (Thailand), and representatives from provincial administrations of Nakhon Ratchasima and Phuket Province. Membership has encompassed figures from academia at institutions like Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University, and Mahidol University, civil society groups such as the Thai Biodiversity Association, and private sector stakeholders including representatives from corporations like PTT Public Company Limited and Siam Cement Group when engaged in environmental assessments.

Functions and Policy Initiatives

The council convenes to set strategic priorities, mediate inter-ministerial disputes, and endorse national action plans such as those addressing air quality in Bangkok, mangrove restoration in Ranong Province, and watershed management in the Chao Phraya River basin. It has steered policy initiatives related to forest rehabilitation following controversies around the Kaeng Krachan National Park boundary issues, fisheries stock recovery linked to measures under the Royal Ordinance on Fisheries, and coal phase-out discussions involving projects like the Mae Mo power plant. The council has also coordinated Thailand’s contributions to international processes such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Major Programs and Projects

Major programs coordinated or endorsed by the council include nationwide air pollution reduction plans addressing episodes akin to the Northern Thailand haze crisis, coastal erosion mitigation projects in regions like Pattani Province, and integrated river basin management programs for the Mekong River in collaboration with the Mekong River Commission. It has overseen reforestation drives linked to national targets, community-based conservation pilots in areas such as Khao Yai National Park, and industrial pollution remediation efforts tied to sites comparable to the Rayong industrial zone cleanup. Internationally funded projects under its aegis have involved partners like the Global Environment Facility and bilateral donors including Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Controversies and Criticism

The council has faced criticism over perceived politicization during administrations of leaders such as Yingluck Shinawatra and disputes over land rights involving communities near Kaeng Krachan National Park and Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. Environmental groups including Greenpeace Southeast Asia and local NGOs like the Bangkok Environmental Law Association have contested decisions linked to infrastructure projects endorsed by the council, including road development through protected areas and extractive licenses related to conglomerates associated with figures from Thai Sang Thai Party alignments. Critics have also cited delays in implementing recommendations on air quality and allegations of inadequate consultation with indigenous communities recognized under instruments associated with the International Labour Organization.

Impact and Future Directions

The council has influenced landmark policy shifts in areas such as protected area governance, pollution control strategies in urban centers like Bangkok, and Thailand’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. Future directions emphasize strengthening legal instruments akin to amendments of the National Environmental Quality Act (Thailand), enhancing provincial coordination with administrations in Chiang Rai and Nakhon Si Thammarat, and expanding partnerships with bodies like the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme to advance resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable resource management.

Category:Environmental policy in Thailand Category:Natural resources organizations