1. Introduction
Thailand lies in the tropical zone of Southeast Asia,
between latitudes 6 and 21 N and longitudes 98 and
106 E (Fig. 1). The country is bounded in the north,
west, and east by mountain ranges, and in the south by
the South China Sea and the Andaman Sea, with a total
coastline of approximately 2600 km. The climate is mild,
with typical Southwest and Northeast monsoons.
The Gulf of Thailand is situated between latitudes 5
000 and 13 300 N and longitudes 99 000 and 106 000 E,
and constitutes a portion of the shallow Sunda Shelf,
opening to the South China Sea. The Gulf is approximately
720 km in length, with a maximum depth of 84
m. The Gulf of Thailand is a major marine resource in
terms of (1) fisheries, aquaculture, (2) coral and mangrove
resources, and (3) oil and mineral resources.
However, recently rapid industrialization and community
development have exerted considerable stress on the
marine environment. The pollution problems in the Gulf
can be prioritized according to the following categories: