Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental Management

Thailand’s mining industry has always been considered as an industrial activity generating significant environmental burdens. This is because environmental management in the sector was given lower priority compared with economic benefits. The resulting adverse environmental effects in areas surroun...

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Main Authors: Saneh Niyomthai, Annuwat Wattanawan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Environmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University 2014-02-01
Series:Applied Environmental Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer/article/view/16349
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author Saneh Niyomthai
Annuwat Wattanawan
author_facet Saneh Niyomthai
Annuwat Wattanawan
author_sort Saneh Niyomthai
collection DOAJ
description Thailand’s mining industry has always been considered as an industrial activity generating significant environmental burdens. This is because environmental management in the sector was given lower priority compared with economic benefits. The resulting adverse environmental effects in areas surrounding some mining areas required government interventions. Accordingly, the sustainable development of mineral resources requires a delicate balance of economic, environmental and societal considerations. To respond to this challenge, Thailand needs a paradigm shift in environmental management towards sustainable mining, in order to maximize benefits from exploitation of the mineral resources, whilst ensuring co-existence and mutual benefits of mining activities and their surrounding communities. This article seeks to provide some information about a fundamental change in the principles, approach and strategies of environmental management towards sustainable mining in Thailand. The main mechanism includes changing in visions and strategies towards sustainable mining, applying various sustainability assessment tools in licensing and decision-making processes, decentralizing the environmental monitoring system to local authorities and communities, as well as enhancing the use of the sustainable development principle to all mining operators through various projects. An establishment of a rehabilitation fund, a health surveillance fund and a community infrastructure improvement fund are also required for development of any new mining project to guarantee rehabilitation works and risk management efforts during and after the mine’s life.
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spelling doaj.art-09d1e3962a6b4f4bbdb7980dad0775d32024-02-14T10:51:59ZengEnvironmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn UniversityApplied Environmental Research2287-075X2014-02-01361Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental ManagementSaneh Niyomthai0Annuwat Wattanawan1Department of Primary Industries and Mines, Ministry of Industry, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Primary Industries and Mines, Ministry of Industry, Bangkok, Thailand Thailand’s mining industry has always been considered as an industrial activity generating significant environmental burdens. This is because environmental management in the sector was given lower priority compared with economic benefits. The resulting adverse environmental effects in areas surrounding some mining areas required government interventions. Accordingly, the sustainable development of mineral resources requires a delicate balance of economic, environmental and societal considerations. To respond to this challenge, Thailand needs a paradigm shift in environmental management towards sustainable mining, in order to maximize benefits from exploitation of the mineral resources, whilst ensuring co-existence and mutual benefits of mining activities and their surrounding communities. This article seeks to provide some information about a fundamental change in the principles, approach and strategies of environmental management towards sustainable mining in Thailand. The main mechanism includes changing in visions and strategies towards sustainable mining, applying various sustainability assessment tools in licensing and decision-making processes, decentralizing the environmental monitoring system to local authorities and communities, as well as enhancing the use of the sustainable development principle to all mining operators through various projects. An establishment of a rehabilitation fund, a health surveillance fund and a community infrastructure improvement fund are also required for development of any new mining project to guarantee rehabilitation works and risk management efforts during and after the mine’s life. https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer/article/view/16349Mining industrySustainable developmentParadigm shiftEnvironmental managementSustainable miningThailand
spellingShingle Saneh Niyomthai
Annuwat Wattanawan
Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental Management
Applied Environmental Research
Mining industry
Sustainable development
Paradigm shift
Environmental management
Sustainable mining
Thailand
title Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental Management
title_full Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental Management
title_fullStr Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental Management
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental Management
title_short Sustainable Mining in Thailand: Paradigm Shift in Environmental Management
title_sort sustainable mining in thailand paradigm shift in environmental management
topic Mining industry
Sustainable development
Paradigm shift
Environmental management
Sustainable mining
Thailand
url https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer/article/view/16349
work_keys_str_mv AT sanehniyomthai sustainablemininginthailandparadigmshiftinenvironmentalmanagement
AT annuwatwattanawan sustainablemininginthailandparadigmshiftinenvironmentalmanagement