Andaman Sea Coast Research Articles

Factors affecting tourism business effectiveness on the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand

Factors affecting tourism business effectiveness on the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand

Weekly variations of nutrients and their associations with phytoplankton blooms in the urban coastal waters of Andaman Sea coast: A case study in Patong Bay, Phuket, Thailand

Nutrient inputs to coastal waters are among the main contributors to phytoplankton blooms that can damage coastal ecosystems. To understand the main causal factors and timing of phytoplankton blooms in Patong Bay, where phytoplankton blooms have frequent occurred for the last decade, variations in phytoplankton abundance and the dissolved inorganic nutrients (nitrogen (DIN), phosphorus (DIP), and dissolved silica (DSi)) were monitored weekly from December 2021 to December 2022. The results revealed that ratios of DIP and DSi to DIN in seawater had increased rapidly in approximately 1–7 days prior to the blooms of Chaetoceros and Eunotogramma. This suggests that the diatom blooms in this area are significantly controlled by an excess of DIP and DSi, in otherwise appropriate environmental conditions. Our findings provide a thorough understanding of the role of excess nutrients on phytoplankton blooms in urban coastal waters, supporting informed coastal management actions.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF COASTAL CHANGE ALONG THE ANDAMAN SEA COAST AND THE GULF OF THAILAND COAST

The study areas cover the coastline of Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Surat Thani provinces in the Gulf of Thailand and Satun, Trang, and Krabi provinces in the Andaman Sea. The coastal change study employs the GIS, remote sensing technique, and field investigation. The geomorphological map was created using the supervised classification method in ENVI (The Environment for Visualizing Images) program and field investigation. The geomorphological study results indicate that old tidal flat, intertidal flat, subtidal flat, old and young lagoons, marsh, and old and young sandy beaches characterize the Gulf of Thailand coast. The Andaman Sea coast is represented by rocky coast, intertidal flat, and young sandy beach. The comparison of the coastal change shows that the coastal erosion of the Gulf of Thailand is more severe than the Andaman Sea coast. Most of the Gulf of Thailand coast is now used for aquaculture, whereas shrimp ponds sensitive to erosion have replaced the former mangrove coast. Along the Andaman Sea coast, erosion is protected by the remaining mangrove swamp, and it occurs only in the local area during seasonal storms.

Application of three materials of fishing gear marking for crab and fish gillnets in small-scale fishery in the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand

Application of three materials of fishing gear marking for crab and fish gillnets in small-scale fishery in the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand

Population Genetic Structure of the Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus) Along the Andaman Sea Coast of Thailand

The blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) is a valuable commercial species. In Thailand, the consumption of the blue swimming crab is increasing. To construct an effective sustainable management plan, genetic information is required. Knowledge of natural stock genetic information can help policymakers design fishing and conservation management policies to maintain genetic diversity. In our study, we examined the genetic structure of the blue swimming crab population on the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. Partial sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA CR) with a size of 369-371 base pairs were studied in 150 individuals collected from five sampling sites along Thailand's Andaman Sea coast. Seventy-one haplotypes were characterized by 127 polymorphic sites, indicating high haplotype diversity but low nucleotide diversity across five localities. The multiple tests of population genetic analysis showed a lack of genetic structure. The absence of genetic structure was possibly caused by a high level of gene flow due to the larval blue swimming crab's high dispersal ability. Demographic history findings indicate that the blue swimming crab population has expanded. The findings of our study can be used to guide the management of the blue swimming crab in this region of the Andaman Sea to conserve genetic diversity.

Cetaceans and mass strandings in Thai waters

A total of 25 species of cetaceans have been recorded in Thai waters from stranding and sighting records. A summary of these, together with details of five mass strandings on the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand, are reported here. The first mass stranding, of nine spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) was at Talibong Island, Trang Province, in January 1999; six carcasses were examined and three were lost. The second record comprised five spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) stranded at Ban Ko Kho Khao, Phang-nga, in February 1999; two dolphins were released alive. The third stranding was of eight spotted dolphins at Mai Phai Island, Phang-nga, in March 2006; five animals died and three were released alive. The fourth mass stranding was of 30 false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) at Racha Yai Island, Phuket, in June 2008; 29 animals were released while one drowned. The fifth record consisted of three rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) stranded at Nam Bor Bay, Phuket, in July 2008; all three were returned to the open sea. It was difficult to determine the causes of death of the stranded dolphins. However, it was possible that the first two mass strandings were caused by disease. Some strandings were possibly influenced by the landscape of the stranding locations (narrow bay in one case, wide gently sloping beach in another).

Growth and carbon stocks in four mangrove species planted on a former charcoal concession site in Ranong, Thailand

The ending of mangrove concessions for charcoal production in 1998 gave new impetus to mangrove conservation and rehabilitation in Thailand, including the designation of the Ranong Biosphere Reserve (RBR) to protect Thailand’s largest single mangrove ecosystem. Four of the dominant tree species in the RBR were planted as seedlings in single species blocks on a former concession site in 1994: Rhizophora apiculata (Ra) and R. mucronata (Rm); and 1995: Bruguiera cylindrica (Bc) and Ceriops tagal (Ct). Tree growth and natural recruitment of seedlings and saplings were recorded in 100 m2 sampled quadrats in each species block in 1999, 2008, 2019 and 2023. All four species exceeded 10 m mean height by 2019 (range 12.1 ± 3.8 m to 19.6 ± 2.3 m), while mean DBH was 7.5 ± 3.4 cm to 9.1 ± 6.9 cm. There was evidence of self-thinning mortality by 2023, especially in the Ra and Bc blocks. Some illegal cutting of Bc trees between 2019 and 2023 further impacted the growth performance of this species, which exhibited a compensatory strategy of self-planting many seedlings. The height and DBH of the four planted species in 2023 were still less than in a mature Rhizophora- and Ceriops-dominated conservation forest area (mean tree height 17.4 ± 6.7 m; DBH 15.1 ± 7.3 cm). However, soil organic carbon (SOC) was high and not significantly different between the monoculture species blocks (525 ± 107 Mg C ha-1 to 743 ± 31 Mg C ha-1) and the conservation forest (616 ± 91 Mg C ha-1). SOC accounted for 74%-90% of the total ecosystem C, which was 650 to 829 Mg C ha-1 in the planted species blocks and 828 Mg C ha-1 in the conservation forest. The estimates for plant, soil and ecosystem C are compared with those reported from other natural and planted mangrove sites in Southeast Asia, especially along the Andaman Sea coast. The findings confirm the importance of conserving the few remaining areas of near-primary mangrove forest in this region.

Multi-proxy approach to identify the origin of high energy coastal deposits from Laem Son National Park, Andaman Sea of Thailand

Understanding the frequency of high energy storm and tsunami events is crucial for apprehending the vulnerability of coastal communities. Identifying and dating sedimentary evidence deposited by such high energy events can assist in the planning and installation of suitable protection measurements. The Andaman Sea coast of Thailand is particularly vulnerable to such events as illustrated by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Here, three shore-perpendicular transects and ten sediment cores along a beach ridge in the northern part of Lam Son National Park, Ranong Province, Andaman Sea coast are investigated with respect to high energy deposits. A multi-proxy analysis was conducted including stratigraphical correlations between cores, detailed description of physical characteristics, sedimentary structure, grain size, organic matter and carbonate content as well as identification of the remains of marine organisms. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was applied for determining the age of the sediments on this beach ridge plain. The stratigraphy and sediment characteristics, in particular composition, of the sands in the study area clearly allow us to distinguish between high energy deposits and normal beach sediments. Two high energy deposits were identified and attributed to result from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami as well as a past storm, which, based on OSL dating occurred more than 340 ± 20 years ago.

Application of the Ecopath model for evaluation of ecological structure and function for fisheries management: A case study from fisheries in coastal Andaman Sea, Thailand

The Andaman Coastal Sea provides a rich resource of seafood as well as a major contribution to the socio-economy of many local communities in Thailand. The aim of this study is to model food web structure and estimate energy flow through trophic levels using the Ecopath tool. Data have been collected on fish length, weight and diet composition from three provinces, Krabi, Phuket and Phangnga along the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. Data from commercial as well as artisanal fishing ports were entered into the model. The model computed data for trophic level, food web structure, and ecological function of functional groups. The results indicate that the coastal ecosystem of the Andaman Sea is composed of five aggregated trophic levels of 46 functional groups, ranking from 1.0 to 4.227. The total system throughput is 9162.513 t km−2 y−1 and internal consumption, respiration, flow into detritus, and export out of the system accounts for 28.83%, 16.06%, 28.34%, and 26.77%, respectively. The Mixed Tropic Impact (MTI) shows detritus and low trophic level groups make a significant contribution to the diet of groups at higher trophic levels. Planktivorous fishes are important components of food web structure. The total system throughput analysis indicates that the ecosystem is in a relatively immature state. Pedigree analysis showed that the model has high reliability. The application of the model for fisheries management is discussed. In particular, the use of the model for local Fisheries Improvement Projects is recommended.

The Rong Ngeng of the Andaman Coast: History, Ecology, and the Preservation of a Traditional Performing Art

Abstract This article examines recent grassroots strategies for preserving traditional performing arts along southern Thailand’s Andaman Sea Coast, focusing on rong ngeng, an idiomatic form of social dance and music, widely popular there in the post-World War Two years. Between 1935 and 1960 a small, mixed cohort of rural performing artists created networks of communities, scattered on Thai-Andaman, with a distinctive regional culture based in the shared repertoire of songs and dances they adapted, created an innovative lyrical style called phleng tanyong (Tanyong song), and a star system that turned village performers into local celebrities (Ross 2017, 68). More than a mere vibrant, short-lived micro-tradition which declined in the wake of a growing, hegemonic pan-Thai performing arts culture, however, rong ngeng has, since the 2000s, experienced a revival. The new incarnation was tied to economics, nostalgia, and a reawakening of local identity. Using a broadly cultural ecology approach which draws on more than a decade of fieldwork in the Thailand-Malaysia border region, oral accounts of rong ngeng performers, past and present, and comparisons with performance practices across the regions, this paper argues that efforts toward revival and sustainability have seen their greatest success among communities that possess several characteristics, including strong historical and genealogical links to erstwhile cultural practices, participatory forms of entertainment, and the ability among its members to articulate the relevance of performing arts to the society-at-large.

Wave Energy Potential and Simulation on the Andaman Sea Coast of Thailand

Ocean wave energy is an interesting renewable energy because it will never run out and can be available all the time. If the wave energy is to be used, then the feasibility study of localized wave potential has to be studied. This goal is to study the potential of waves in the Andaman Sea. The Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model was used to calculate the significant wave heights, which were validated with the measurement data of the Jason-2 satellite. The coastal area of Phuket and Phang Nga provinces are suitable locations for studying wave energy converters because they have high significant wave height. Moreover, this study used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for the simulation of wave behavior in accordance with wave parameters from the SWAN model. The wave height simulated from CFD was validated with linear wave theory. The results found that it was in good agreement with linear wave theory. It can be applied for a simulation of the wave energy converter.

Coral Diversity at Losin Pinnacle, an Offshore Reef in the Gulf of Thailand: Toward a Future MPA

Severe coral bleaching events in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand had caused widespread coral mortality in 1998 and 2010. Consequently, the decrease in coral populations impacted the structure, health, and services of Thai coral reefs. However, most colonies in the offshore reef of Losin were still alive after the coral bleaching events. Therefore, this study was conducted by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources in order to help to establish a proposal for a Marine Protected Area (MPA). Surveys on coral diversity were conducted to produce a checklist of reef building corals. Seventy-six coral species were found, with the most dominant species being Porites lutea and Acropora communities, such as A. intermedia, A. grandis, A. muricata, A. cytherea, and A. valenciennesi. This area is expected to be designated as a restricted MPA area, under the “Act on the Promotion of Marine and Coastal Resources Management B.E. 2558 (2015)”. The high diversity of hard corals discovered in this study assist in promoting the inclusion of Announcement of the Losin Marine and Coastal Resources Protected Areas following the Ministerial Regulation.

Cirolana phuketensis, a new species of marine isopod (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cirolanidae) from the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand.

Cirolana phuketensis sp. n. was collected from coral rubble from the Andaman sea coast of Thailand. C. phuketensis sp. n. is described and fully illustrated; C. phuketensis sp. n. can be recognized by the presence of transverse sutures on pereonites 2–4, pereonite 7 having three transverse sutures forming a nodulose ridge, antennula peduncle with articles 1 and 2 fully fused; pleotelson dorsal surface with 2 sub-median longitudinal carinae, each of which has one prominent tubercle, lateral margins weakly convex, and posterior margin narrow and rounded; 6 molariform robust setae pereopod 1 on inferior margin of merus and the penial openings are two low tubercles. A dichotomous key to species of Cirolana in Thailand is given.

Comparison of the photosynthetic efficiency, agar yield, and properties of Gracilaria salicornia (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) with and without adelphoparasite

The red seaweed Gracilaria salicornia is widely distributed along the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman sea coast. In nature, the adelphoparasite Gracilaria babae is mostly found to grow on this alga, and it appears as a gall with dark green or yellowish orange color. This study was conducted to examine the photosynthetic efficiency, agar yield, and properties of G. salicornia in plants with (PGs) and without the adelphoparasite (Gs). The results showed that the photosynthetic efficiency of the PGs and Gs was influenced by environmental factors. The agar yield extracted from the Gs was mostly lower than that from the PGs. The gelling temperature of agar solution from the PGs was lower than in the Gs but was not significantly different (p > 0.05). The gel melting point and the viscosity of the agar solution of the PGs was significantly higher than those of the Gs (p < 0.05). The gel strength and total carbohydrate content of the PGs agar were higher than those obtained from the Gs agar, except for the sample collected in June. The content of 3,6-anhydrogalactose was higher in the PGs than in the Gs collected in February and August, when the PGs agar had greater gel strength. Similarly, the PGs agar had a higher sulfate content than did the Gs agar. This study showed that changes in the photosynthetic efficiency, yield, and properties of agar extracted from G. salicornia were influenced by the environmental factors in association with the presence of the adelphoparasite G. babae.

The long term tsunami impact: Evolution of iron speciation and major elements concentration in tsunami deposits from Thailand

The article describes the unique studies of the chemical composition changes of new geological object (tsunami deposits in south Thailand – Andaman Sea Coast) during four years (2005–2008) from the beginning of formation of it (deposition of tsunami transported material, 26 December 2004). The chemical composition of the acid leachable fraction of the tsunami deposits has been studied in the scope of concentration macrocompounds – concentration of calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese and iron speciation – the occurrence of Fe(II), Fe(III) and non-ionic iron species described as complexed iron (Fe complex). The changes of chemical composition and iron speciation in the acid leachable fraction of tsunami deposits have been observed with not clear tendencies of changes direction. For iron speciation changes the transformation of the Fe complex to Fe(III) has been recorded with no significant changes of the level of Fe(II).

Across Borders and Genres in Malaysia and Thailand: The Changgong Rhythm of the Andaman Sea Coast

This article looks at the music of a borderland region in Southeast Asia and how a particular drum accompaniment common to several local folk genres found there connects different social, linguistic, and/or religious communities. It focuses on the Andaman Coast of Malaysia and Thailand: a confluence of people and cultures in what was once a rural backwater prior to World War II but an area that has also long been exposed to contemporaneous cosmopolitan society from its neighbors in the region. These interrelationships produced a rich musical environment with a shared “Andaman” character, but as the twentieth century progressed and the region became divided along national lines, people and culture ceased to flow as they had previously. Legacies of a common Andaman Coast culture, however, remained extant despite being under-acknowledged. I explore those legacies through ethnographic and musical data from several cases that are united by a shared drumming practice. I refer to it as the changgong rhythm (borrowing the name of its best-known manifestation) and describe its archetypal features and appearances in four separate songs—including two mixed-sex social dances, a musical folk theater, and a ceremonial consecration, each of which holds an important position in the repertoires of its respective musical community. By using this musical phenomenon to bring attention to the common character and social networks of the Andaman Coast region (across borders, genres, and time), we can gain better understanding of some of the complex social dynamics that have shaped the region in recent decades, particularly in the transformations to the livelihoods, lifestyles, identities, and allegiances of its once-mobile populations.

Mitochondrial DNA and two Y-chromosome genes of common long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis fascicularis) throughout Thailand and vicinity.

Macaca fascicularis fascicularis is distributed over a wide area of Southeast Asia. Thailand is located at the center of their distribution range and is the bridge connecting the two biogeographic regions of Indochina and Sunda. However, only a few genetic studies have explored the macaques in this region. To shed some light on the evolutionary history of M. f. fascicularis, including hybridization with M. mulatta, M. f. fascicularis and M. mulatta samples of known origins throughout Thailand and the vicinity were analyzed by molecular phylogenetics using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), including the hypervariable region 1, and Y-chromosomal DNA, including SRY and TSPY genes. The mtDNA phylogenetic analysis divided M. f. fascicularis into five subclades (Insular Indonesia, Sundaic Thai Gulf, Vietnam, Sundaic Andaman sea coast, and Indochina) and revealed genetic differentiation between the two sides of the Thai peninsula, which had previously been reported as a single group of Malay peninsular macaques. From the estimated divergence time of the Sundaic Andaman sea coast subclade, it is proposed that after M. f. fascicularis dispersed throughout Southeast Asia, some populations on the south-easternmost Indochina (eastern Thailand, southern Cambodia and southern Vietnam at the present time) migrated south-westwards across the land bridge, which was exposed during the glacial period of the late Pleistocene epoch, to the southernmost Thailand/northern peninsular Malaysia. Then, some of them migrated north and south to colonize the Thai Andaman sea coast and northern Sumatra, respectively. The SRY-TSPY phylogenetic analysis suggested that male-mediated gene flow from M. mulatta southward to M. f. fascicularis was restricted south of, but close to, the Isthmus of Kra. There was a strong impact of the geographical factors in Thailand, such as the Isthmus of Kra, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phuket ranges and Sundaland, on M. f. fascicularis biogeography and their hybridization with M. mulatta.

Morphological characteristics and genetic diversity of Burmese long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis aurea).

Macaca fascicularis aurea (Mfa) is the only macaque which has been recorded to use stone tools to access encased foods. They live in close contact with M. fascicularis fascicularis (Mff) in southwestern Thailand and the hybrids were reported [Fooden, 1995]. Although Mff and Mfa can be seen in the same habitat types, tool-use behavior has never been reported in Mff. Thus, comparing the morphological characteristics and genetics between Mfa and Mff should help elucidate not only the morphological differences and genetic divergence between these subspecies but also potentially the relationship between genetics and their tool use behavior. We surveyed Mfa and Mff in Myanmar and Thailand, ranging from 16° 58' to 7° 12' N. Fecal or blood samples were collected from eight, five, and four populations of Mfa, Mff, and Mff × Mfa morphological hybrids along with three individuals of captive Chinese M. mulatta (Mm), respectively, for mtDNA and Y-chromosome (TSPY and SRY genes) DNA sequence analyses. In addition, eight populations were captured and measured for 38 somatometric dimensions. Comparison of the somatic measurements revealed that Mfa had a statistically significantly shorter tail than Mff (P < 0.05). Based on the mtDNA sequences, Mfa was separated from the Mm/Mff clade. Within the Mfa clade, the mainland Myanmar population was separate from the Mergui Archipelago and Thailand Andaman seacoast populations. All the morphological hybrids had the Mff mtDNA haplotype. Based on the Y-chromosome sequences, the three major clades of Mm/Indochinese Mff, Sundaic Mff, and Mfa were constructed. The hybrid populations grouped either with the Mm/Indochinese Mff or with the Mfa. Regarding the genetic analysis, one subspecies hybrid population in Thailand (KRI) elicited tool use behavior, thus the potential role of genetics in tool use behavior is raised in addition to the environmental force, morphological suitability, and cognitive capability. Am. J. Primatol. 78:441-455, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Specific activity of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides and radiological hazard assessment in surface soil samples collected along the Andaman sea coast in southern region of Thailand

The specific activities of natural (40K, 226Ra and 232Th) and anthropogenic radionuclides (137Cs) in 314 surface soil samples collected from three provinces (Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi) along the Andaman sea coast in southern region of Thailand were studied and evaluated. Experimental results were obtained by using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector and gamma spectrometry analysis system. It was found that the mean values of specific activities of 40K, 226Ra, 232Th and 137Cs were 2859.63 ± 209.83, 157.10 ± 8.06, 137.16 ± 7.26 and 4.88 ± 2.34 Bq/kg, respectively. Furthermore, four radiological hazard indices which are absorbed dose rate in air (D), radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex) and annual effective dose rate (AEDout) in the area under consideration were also calculated and came out to be 277.11 ± 16.96 nGy/h, 575.16 ± 34.67 Bq/kg, 1.55 ± 0.09 and 0.34 ± 0.02 mSv/y, respectively. The experimental results were also compared and found to be comparable with national and global radioactivity measurements and evaluations. Moreover, the radioactive contour maps of the investigated area were also created and presented in this paper.

Guidelines on Halal Tourism Management in the Andaman Sea Coast of Thailand

The purposes of the research were to:1) evaluate the potential of existing Halal tourist places and to rank them; 2) examine (current) Halal tourism management practices in the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand catering for travelers from Muslim countries and; 3) propose feasible guidelines on Halal tourism management in this area. The sample groups were government officers working in the tourism-related sections, administrators in the sub-district administrative organization offices in the provinces along the Andaman Sea coast, community leaders, tour guides, officers of the provincial offices of the Islamic Council in the Andaman Sea coast, Muslim tourists from Muslim countries and officers of the Central Islamic Council of Thailand. The research instruments included a questionnaire, observations and focus group discussions. The findings suggests that Halal tourism operators must provide prayer rooms for Muslim tourists as well as the direction signs to the mosque either in English or Arabic, separate restrooms for men and women. In addition, Halal restaurants should be provided in tourist attraction areas.