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Table 10.1. Comparative assessment of five provinces evaluating their relative impact due to disaster events
Udon Thani
Chiang Rai Phuket
Hat Yai Samut
Sakhon 1
Floods 3 4 2
5 1 2
Landslides 0 5 4 3 0
3 Storm
surge 0 0 5 0 1
4 Drought
5 4 3 2 1
5 Sea level rise
3 5
6 Cyclones
5 4 2 3 0
10.2 Comparative Assessment in relation to Climate Change scenario of
target cities
Change in climate is mostly evaluated through two main types of parameters, namely hydro- meteorological parameters and atmospheric parameters.
For atmospheric parameter, trends in annual and seasonal mean temperature have been analyzed to evaluate the increase decrease of annual mean temperatures over 29 years from
1980 to 2008 within the five cities. Trends in extreme temperature, maximum as well as minimum temperatures were evaluated for the five cities over the past 29 years. This
highlighted the frequency of extreme temperature events and its evolution over the decades, correlated by the analysis of the number of cold and warm days per year and per month
comparing the 29 years.
Concerning hydro-meteorological parameters, trends in annual and seasonal mean precipitation have been analyzed to identify variations of the tend for annual total rainfall
within the five cities. Frequency of deficient rainfall or drought could then be evaluated. Furthermore, trends in the number of rainy days have been analyzed for the five cities over
the past 29 years. This highlighted the frequency of extreme rainfall events and its evolution over the decades, correlated by the analysis of the number of intense precipitation per day,
whether heavy, moderate or light, per day and per month comparing the 29 years.
10.3 Comparative assessment of air and water quality
Physical features are also vulnerable to environmental degradation. Water pollution is quite important in Thailand. High loading of pollutants from human activities beyond the water
resources carrying capacity can contribute to degradation of water quality in the country. Even if the computations and analysis have been carried out using the water quality standards
and guidelines, most populated areas are getting polluted due to discharges from various
151 point sources, such as industrial, agricultural activities and solid waste disarrangement. In
2000, 40 of Thailand’s surface waters were in poor or very poor quality. This indicate the essential interventions or adaptation measures such as construction of wastewater treatment
plants, hazardous waste treatment plants, agricultural waste management schemes, industrial waste control and management of other pollution sources within the urban environment. The
main pollutants serving as indicator of water quality are TCB Total Coliform Bacteria and DO Dissolved Oxygen.
Concerning air quality, urban environment is full of high pollution sources. The urbanization process tends to increase the amount produced by existing sources every year and the
emergence of new noxious pollution entities within the urban areas is also of high concern. In Thailand cities, the main emitted pollutants are Particular matters PM10 and ground-level
ozone O3, the primary constituent of smog. Policies should be instituted to curb further emissions, by reducing the pollution sources and to find alternative energies to improve the
air quality.
For the purpose of city selection, a comparative assessment on climate change scenarios and Water and Air Quality among the five cities have been reported below in Table 10.2.
Table 10.2. Comparative assessment of five provinces evaluating on climate change scenario and water- air quality
Rate as Highest = 5 to Lowest = 1 - Chiang
Rai Udon Thani Phuket
Hat Yai
Samut Sakhon
1 Change in meanextreme climate trends Atmospheric parameters
1 IncreaseDecrease trend in annual seasonal mean
temperature
4 3 5 2
No Data
2 IncreaseDecrease in extreme Temperature Tmax
Tmin
3 2 5 4
No Data
3 IncreaseDecrease in frequency of No. extreme
cold warm days
5 3 4 2
No Data
4 Air quality increase of CO2, SO2, AQI etc. 2
No Data 4 3 5
2 Change in meanextreme climate trends Hydro-meteorological parameters
1 Increase Decrease trend in annual seasonal mean
precipitation
2 4 5 3 1
2 Frequency of deficient rainfall or drought 3 2 5
1 4
3 Increase Decrease trend in number of rainy days 4 3 1
2 5
4 Increase Decrease of intense precipitation days
Heavy, Moderate Light
2 3 4 3 5
5 Water quality Increase of BOD or COD, 3
No Data Nd
4 5
6 Sea level rise increase 4
3 5
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10.4 Comparative assessment of the Vulnerability of various sectors to
