The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), through the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering joined the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Pollution Control Department (PCD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), in launching the “Thai NuRA” project, formally titled “Seeding a Nutrient Pollution Reduction Strategy for the Coastal Waters of Thailand.”
The official Inception Workshop was held on 7 May 2026 in Bangkok and brought together representatives from government agencies, international organizations, academia, and development partners to strengthen collaboration on nutrient pollution reduction and sustainable coastal management in Thailand.
The project aims to address nutrient pollution, one of the key drivers of coastal water degradation, eutrophication, and hypoxic “dead zones” affecting marine ecosystems. Through integrated wastewater and nutrient management strategies, the initiative seeks to improve coastal water quality while supporting sustainable development across key sectors, including tourism, agriculture, and fishing ports and seafood processing industries.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Mr. Nipon Jumnongsirisak, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Remarks on inter-agency collaboration were delivered by Dr. Pinsak Suraswadi, Director General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), and Mr. Chirapong Kuhakanchana, Deputy Director General of the Pollution Control Department (PCD).
The event also welcomed distinguished representatives from UNEP, COBSEA, universities, and partner organizations, including Ms. Isabelle Vanderbeck, International Waters Task Manager representing UNEP; Mr. Mahesh Pradhan, Coordinator of COBSEA; Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ekbodin Winijkul, Dean of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering (FCEE) at AIT.
Thai NuRA is part of the Global Environment Facility’s GEF-8 Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHO-IP), under which Thailand is one of 14 participating countries receiving support to address land-based marine pollution and promote healthy coastal ecosystems.
Under the project, AIT supports Component 3, which focuses on innovative nutrient and wastewater management solutions for tourism, agriculture, and fishing port sectors. AIT contributes technical expertise in decentralized wastewater treatment, nature-based solutions, pilot implementation, and stakeholder capacity building. The activities are led by Dr. Atitaya Panuvatvanich from NATS LAB, FCEE, together with the AIT team, supporting technical assessments and pilot implementation in selected coastal areas, including Chonburi, Phetchaburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces.
“Thai NuRA represents an important step toward strengthening sustainable coastal and marine pollution management in Thailand through collaborative and integrated approaches. AIT is pleased to contribute technical expertise under Component 3 of the project, particularly in innovative wastewater treatment technologies, decentralized sanitation systems, and nature-based solutions across tourism, agriculture, and fishing port sectors. Through these efforts, the project aims to improve coastal water quality and strengthen local capacity for sustainable coastal management in Thailand,” said Dr. Atitaya.
The launch of Thai NuRA marks an important milestone in strengthening partnerships among government agencies, academia, international organizations, and local communities to advance sustainable coastal management and marine pollution reduction in Thailand.
