The Land of Smiles has mainly been known as a healthy and clean country.

Compared to
its neighboring countries, Thailand has few environmental issues. Though, they still have some
problems. Whether it is deforestation, poaching, or pollution, the government is working hard to
cut down on the damage to the pristine environment across the country. Thailand is home to
unique rainforests and jungles that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The country of
Thailand is working towards ending human and environmental interaction problems like
deforestation, pollution, and illegal hunting. (KLAVoyages.com, 1)
Throughout central Thailand, forests blanket the land for miles each way. Some of these
are rainforests, some of them are jungles. Either way, the forests are disappearing. Deforestation
is a growing problem in Thailand. Teak wood, a water resistant wood, has been the biggest
problem. (FAO.org, 1) Because of its important value, teak wood has been the primary source of
wood. Large timber companies have been cutting down whole forests of teak wood. This has
led to the destruction of animal habitats and the endangered species that occupied the forest.
(FAO.org, 1) Another forest that has been endangered by logging companies, is the rainforest
that is located in central Thailand. The next target for timber production was the rainforest.
Instantly, there was a national park created to protect it. The Khao Sok National Park saved the
forest from being cleared to bare ground. (KhaoSok.com, 1) Across the country, the government
and the people of Thailand are working together to reduce the amount of deforestation taking
place.
Another environmental issue occurring in Thailand is pollution. (KLAVoyages.com, 1)
The notable increase of water pollution, air pollution, and harmful waste across the country, has
created awareness. In 2000, Bangkoks population was about 6.3 million people. In fifteen
years, it has grown by 2.2 million people. (WorldPopulationReview.com, 1) As a growing city,

Bangkok produces lots of pollution mainly because of car emissions and waste.
(KLAVoyages.com, 1) When population increases, so does human waste. This means more
people are driving cars and throwing out garbage. To improve the situation, Thailand has
collaborated with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and many other organizations.
Some of the plans to help the environment include, switching to solar energy or improving the
nations recycling system. Research is still being done to find a permanent answer for the
pollution problem in Thailand. (EPA.gov, 1)
One of the last major issues in Thailand is illegal hunting. (KLAVoyages.com, 1) Asian
elephants, an endangered species, are affected the most. With extremely valuable tusks and other
body parts, elephants are commonly poached all around the world. (WWF.org, 1) Another
animal that has been hunted in Thailand is the Javan Rhinoceros. (WWF.org, 1) Hunted for the
same reasons, there are only about 60 left on the planet. (SaveTheRhino.org, 1) Along with the
Rhino, the Indochinese tiger is extremely rare in Thailand. (WWF.org, 1) In 2012, a report
showed that there were only 250 tigers in the Thai forests. (TigersInCrisis.com) Hunting and
habitat loss have both contributed to the rapid decrease of animal species in Thailand. National
parks and other wildlife reserves help the situation by offering a safe haven to all animals. As
much as the country is working towards saving the wildlife, endangered species are becoming
even rarer as the years go by. The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) has been working very closely
with Thailand to see if the situation can be improved. (WorldWildlife.org, 1)
The world is a growing machine with industries and companies booming all over.
Business and money come first to mankind, and the environment comes in close to last.
Understanding the importance of a mans goals, it would still be a shame to see some of the last
naturally beautiful places be torn down for business. Progression is crucial for mankind, but

some things need to be kept as they are. One of these places includes Thailand, which has some
of the most magnificent views in the entire world. The environmental and human relationship in
Thailand is being improved by reducing the amount of pollution, illegal hunting, and
deforestation taking place.

Works Cited
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<http://www2.epa.gov/international-cooperation/epa-collaboration-thailand>.
FAO. "Teak Resources in Thailand - Mr. Vichien Sumantakul and Mr. Suntud Sangkul." Teak
Resources in Thailand. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/ac773e/ac773e0h.htm>.
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<http://www.khaosok.com/index.php>.
KLAvoyages. "Human Environment Interaction." KLAvoyages.co. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
<http://klavoyages.weebly.com/human-environment-interaction.html>.
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<https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/species_of_rhino/javan_rhinos>.
TigersInCrisis. "Indochinese Tiger: An Endangered Species." Tigers in Crisis. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct.
2015. <http://www.tigersincrisis.com/indochinese_tiger.htm>.
World Population Review. "WPR." Bangkok Population 2015. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
<http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/bangkok-population/>.
WWF. "Illegal Wildlife Trade." WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/illegal-wildlife-trade>.