Climate change could force Bangkok to move, government expert warns

Projections consistently show that Bangkok is at risk of being inundated by the ocean before the end of the century. Much of the vibrant capital already experiences flooding during the rainy season.

Pavich Kesavawong, deputy director general of the government's climate change and environment department, fears that the city will not be able to adapt quickly enough in light of current global warming.

“I think we have already exceeded the 1,5” degree Celsius increase in temperatures compared to the pre-industrial era, he estimates. “Now we have to go back and think about adaptation”, because “Bangkok will be underwater if the current situation does not change”.

The municipality is considering various measures, including the construction of dikes like those used in the Netherlands.

“We thought about moving,” confides Mr. Pavich, stressing that these discussions are still at the hypothesis stage and that the problem is “very complex”.

"Personally, I think it's a good choice. So we could separate the capital, the government districts and the business districts," he explains. “Bangkok would still be the government capital, but it would displace businesses.”

A political decision on moving the capital remains distant, but it is not without precedent in the region.

Indonesia will inaugurate its new capital Nusantara this year, which will replace polluted and sinking Jakarta as the country's political center.

The titanic project is controversial and extremely expensive, with an estimated price of between 29,5 and 32,3 billion euros.

“Save our nature”

Thailand is experiencing the effects of climate change across a range of sectors, from farmers facing heat and drought to tourism affected by pollution and coral bleaching.

Authorities have already closed several national parks because of recent coral bleaching, and Pavich warns that more closures are possible.

“We need to save our nature, so we will take any action that can protect our resources,” he says.

But he recognizes that the government's environmental efforts have barely borne fruit for the moment, particularly with regard to the fight against air pollution, which is particularly serious in the north.

A law dedicated to air pollution was passed this year.

According to Pavich, national park officials have also strengthened measures to prevent and extinguish fires in protected areas.

“The agricultural sector poses serious problems for us,” he explains, referring to the burning of crop residues which is a major factor in seasonal pollution. Improvement is not expected for several years.

Immediately, his department, attached to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, is carrying Thailand's first climate change law, which has been in the works since at least 2019 but was buried during the Covid pandemic -19.

Mr. Pavich hopes that the text, which addresses all subjects (carbon prices, adaptive measures, etc.), will be voted on again this year.

Thailand is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050, and net zero carbon by 2065.