Thailand's National Adaptation Plan

In 2018, Thailand was ranked 9th among the countries most at risk in the world from long-term Climate Change impacts both from the tendency of the average temperature to increase steadily, the average rainfall increases in the flood season, less in the dry season, and resulting in natural disasters such as more intense and frequent floods, droughts, and storms. These impacts harm vital economic sectors such as agriculture, tourism, industry, etc. Including water management, urban development, population relocation, loss of biodiversity, and the spread of disease. Germanwatch (a non-profit German and non-governmental organization) assessed and ranked the country most vulnerable to global Climate Change between 1997 and 2016. (The Long-Term Climate Risk Index CRI: World Map of the Global Climate Risk Index 1997 –2016) According to the study, Thailand is categorized as a country at high risk of Climate Change impacts due to catastrophic disasters 137 times in the last 20 years. In 2011, the floods accounted for 87 percent of every damage, and the World Bank has estimated that the damage was as high as 1.44 trillion baht. In addition, in 2014, the IPCC report identified Southeast Asia as a region highly vulnerable to the effects of Climate Change, considering both size of the economy and the population. In 2011, Thailand was the most affected country in the world, with 65 out of 77 provinces in Thailand experiencing severe flooding that caused more than 900 deaths from natural disasters, and 13.6 million people were affected, including more than 20,000 square kilometers of agricultural land being damaged.

In action to deal with Climate Change problems, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) by the Climate Change Management Coordinating Division (ECF), as the country's central coordinating unit under the (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: UNFCCC) has prepared a master plan to support Climate Change in 2015–2050, which is a long-term plan for 36 years to serve as a policy framework to set the country's direction towards climate resilience and low-carbon growth in line with sustainable development by 2050. It consists of three approaches:

1. Adapting to the impact of Climate Change.
2. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting low-carbon growth.
3. Building management services capacity for Climate Change.

Moreover, the implementation of adaptation to the impact of Climate Change to have a clear framework in the fiscal year 2015.

The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning has conducted a study project for (the National Adaptation Plan: NAP) Phase 1 to study and (vulnerability assessment) from Climate Change in various areas of Thailand in the regional and provincial areas and six branches according to the master plan to use in each area following by preparing a map of the risky/vulnerable areas of the country and creating a database of information and geo-informatics on Climate Change Adaptation of the country according to the results from 2016. There is a study project for the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan Phase 2, which is a continuous operation by collecting and creating a knowledge base on (Best Practices) and Climate Change Adaptation that exists in countries from local to national levels.

Including taking advantage of the study results of the project in Phase 1 that have been analyzed, gaps, and needs (Gaps and needs) to prepare a National Climate Change Adaptation Plan in each field and area across the country, the process of preparing the Climate Change Adaptation Plan has been passed through a meeting to find the opinions and suggestions from the project's academic working group from experts and people involved in all sectors, including the population sector, the private sector, and the public sector both the regional level (northern, northeast central, eastern, and southern regions) and national level. However, the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan makes it more comprehensive and suitable for the changing situation. In 2018, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning reviewed and prepared the national Climate Change Adaptation Plan in line with international cooperation.

Source: Climate Change Management Coordination Division, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning