The Gulf of Thailand, also known as the Gulf of Siam, is a shallow inlet in the southwestern
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
, bounded between the southwestern shores of the
Indochinese Peninsula
Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...
and the northern half of the
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
. It is around in length and up to in width, and has a surface area of . The gulf is surrounded on the north, west and southwest by the coastlines of
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
(hence the name), on the northeast by
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
and the
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta ( vi, Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long, lit=Nine Dragon River Delta or simply vi, Đồng Bằng Sông Mê Kông, lit=Mekong River Delta, label=none), also known as the Western Region ( vi, Miền Tây, links=no) or South-weste ...
region of
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
, and opens to the South China Sea in the southeast.
Names
The modern
Thai
Thai or THAI may refer to:
* Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia
** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand
** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand
*** Thai script
*** Thai (Unicode block ...
name of the gulf is ''Ao Thai'' ( th, อ่าวไทย, , 'Thai Gulf') and "Gulf of Thailand" has been adopted as the official name of the body by the
International Hydrographic Organization
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental organisation representing hydrography. , the IHO comprised 98 Member States.
A principal aim of the IHO is to ensure that the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters a ...
.
[ Its name in ]Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
is he "Gulf of Siam", ''Teluk Siam'', and in km, ឈូងសមុទ្រសៀម'', Chhoung Samut Siem''. In Thai, the gulf is historically known as ''Ao Sayam'' ( th, อ่าวสยาม). In Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam.
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overse ...
it is known as ''Vịnh Thái Lan''.
It is generally identified with the Great Gulf
The Great Gulf is a glacial cirque, or amphitheater-like valley head formed from a glacier by erosion, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The cirque's walls are formed, from south to north, by the mountainsides of Mount Washington ( ...
( la, Magnus Sinus) known to Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
, Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
, Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
, and Renaissance cartographers before the influx of Portuguese explorers
Portuguese maritime exploration resulted in the numerous territories and maritime routes recorded by the Portuguese as a result of their intensive maritime journeys during the 15th and 16th centuries. Portuguese sailors were at the vanguard of Eu ...
removed the phantom Dragon Tail peninsula from European world maps in the 16th century.
Geography
The Gulf of Thailand is bordered by Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
, Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. It occupies a seabed area of 304,000 km2 from 6° N to 13°30' N latitude and 99°E to 104° E longitude. The northern tip of the gulf is the Bay of Bangkok
The Bay of Bangkok ( th, อ่าวกรุงเทพ, , ), also known as the Bight of Bangkok, is the northernmost part of the Gulf of Thailand, roughly extending from Hua Hin District to the west and Sattahip District to the east. Three o ...
at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand.
Et ...
. The southern boundary of the gulf is defined by a line from Cape Bai Bung in southern Vietnam (just south of the mouth of the Mekong River
The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth longest river and the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annuall ...
) to the town of Tumpat and Pengkalan Chepa
Pengkalan Chepa is a town and parliamentary constituency in Kelantan, Malaysia.
Pengkalan Chepa is where the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport is located. It is located about 8 km from Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu, colloquially referred to as KB, ...
on the Malaysian coast.
The gulf is relatively shallow: its mean depth is and the maximum depth is only . This makes water exchange slow, and the strong water inflow from the rivers reduces the level of salinity
Salinity () is the saltiness or amount of salt dissolved in a body of water, called saline water (see also soil salinity). It is usually measured in g/L or g/kg (grams of salt per liter/kilogram of water; the latter is dimensionless and equal ...
in the gulf (3.05–3.25 percent) and enriches the sediment
Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand an ...
s. Only at greater depths does water with a higher salinity (3.4 percent) flow into the gulf from the South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
. It fills the central depression below a depth of . The main rivers which empty into the gulf are the Chao Phraya, including its distributary Tha Chin River
The Tha Chin river ( th, แม่น้ำท่าจีน, , ) is a distributary of the Chao Phraya river, Thailand. It splits near the province of Chai Nat and then flows west from the Chao Phraya through the central plains, until it empt ...
, the Mae Klong
The Mae Klong (, , ), sometimes spelled Mae Khlong or Meklong, is a river in western Thailand. The river begins at the confluence of the Khwae Noi (Khwae Sai Yok) and the Khwae Yai River (Khwae Si Sawat) in Kanchanaburi, it passes Ratchaburi ...
, and Bang Pakong rivers at the Bay of Bangkok
The Bay of Bangkok ( th, อ่าวกรุงเทพ, , ), also known as the Bight of Bangkok, is the northernmost part of the Gulf of Thailand, roughly extending from Hua Hin District to the west and Sattahip District to the east. Three o ...
, and to a lesser degree the Tapi River flowing into Bandon Bay
Bandon Bay ( th, อ่าวบ้านดอน, , ) is a bay in the Gulf of Thailand in Surat Thani Province, extending from the Sui cape in Chaiya District in the northwest to Kanchanadit District to the east. The total coastline is about ...
in the southwest of the gulf.
The International Hydrographic Organization
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental organisation representing hydrography. , the IHO comprised 98 Member States.
A principal aim of the IHO is to ensure that the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters a ...
defines the southern limit of the gulf as " line running from the Western extreme of Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
or Camau Point (8°36'N) to the Northern extreme of the point on the East side of the estuary of the Kelantan River
The Kelantan River (named ''Sungai Kelantan'' in the standard Malay language or ''Sunga Kelate'' as it is pronounced in Kelantanese language) is the major river in Kelantan, Malaysia. It drains a catchment area of about 11900 km²
in north- ...
()".
Seabed morphology
The seabed morphology in the central depression of the gulf is characterised by the presence of elongated mounds and ridges arranged parallel to the axis of the basin. This morphology, widespread within the gulf in water depths exceeding 50 m, covers an area of tens of thousands of square kilometres.
It reflects an interaction between sediment
Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand an ...
dewatering and the erosional activity of the present-day bottom currents.[ The ]sediment
Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand an ...
dewatering and fluid seepage result in the formation of numerous small pits and pockmarks. The long-term erosion
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
imposed by currents
Currents, Current or The Current may refer to:
Science and technology
* Current (fluid), the flow of a liquid or a gas
** Air current, a flow of air
** Ocean current, a current in the ocean
*** Rip current, a kind of water current
** Current (stre ...
of stable orientation modifies pockmarks into long runnels and depressions, and ultimately leads to the formation of the large fields of elongated mounds and ridges, as well as the residual outliers of un-eroded mud and clay sheets.
Bays
;Thailand
* Bay of Bangkok
The Bay of Bangkok ( th, อ่าวกรุงเทพ, , ), also known as the Bight of Bangkok, is the northernmost part of the Gulf of Thailand, roughly extending from Hua Hin District to the west and Sattahip District to the east. Three o ...
* Prachuap Bay
* Ao Manao
* Sattahip Bay
* Bandon Bay
Bandon Bay ( th, อ่าวบ้านดอน, , ) is a bay in the Gulf of Thailand in Surat Thani Province, extending from the Sui cape in Chaiya District in the northwest to Kanchanadit District to the east. The total coastline is about ...
;Cambodia
* Bay of Kompong Som
The Bay of Kampong Som is a southern bay of Cambodia. Kampong Som has a deep water inshore and a chain of islands across the mouth which protect the bay from storms. Deforestation of Indochina mangroves has become issues. Kompong Som is also the l ...
(Chhak Kompong Som)
* Veal Rinh Bay
* Kep Bay
* Chhak Koh Kong
;Vietnam
* Vinh Thuan Yen
* Vinh Ba Hon
* Vinh Hon Chong
Islands
The larger islands in the gulf include:
* Ko Chang
* Ko Mak
Ko Mak ( th, เกาะหมาก, ) is a small island of Trat province, Thailand. It is a subdistrict (''tambon'') of Ko Kut district. The island is named after the areca nut (หมาก), also known as the "betel nut".
History
The firs ...
* Ko Kut
Ko Kut ( th, เกาะกูด, ), also known as Koh Kood, is an island in the Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand, also known as the Gulf of Siam, is a shallow inlet in the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern s ...
* Ko Samui
Ko Samui (or Koh Samui, also often locally shortened to Samui; th, เกาะสมุย, ) is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko ...
* Ko Pha Ngan
Ko Pha-ngan ( th, เกาะพะงัน, , ) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in Surat Thani Province of southern Thailand. Ko Pha-ngan is best known for its Full Moon Party at Hat Rin Beach. Ko Pha-ngan has two sister islands: th ...
* Ko Tao
Ko Tao ( th, เกาะเต่า, , ) is an island in Thailand and is part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. It covers an area of about 21 km2 (8 sq mi). Administratively it is a subdistrict ('' ...
* Ko Phaluai
Ko Phaluai ( th, เกาะพะลวย, ; also spelled Koh Phaluai or Koh Paluay) is the biggest island in the Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, Mu Ko Ang Thong island group. It is inhabited by sea-gypsies who still earn a living from fishing. ...
* Ko Sichang
Ko Sichang (or Koh Sichang, th, เกาะสีชัง, ) is a district ('' amphoe'') of Chonburi province, Thailand. It consists of the island of Ko Sichang and its adjoining islands. Ko Sichang is in the Gulf of Thailand, 12 km off t ...
* Ko Lan
Ko Lan ( th, เกาะล้าน, ) is one of the eastern seaboard islands of Thailand. Ko Lan lies 7.5 km from the nearest shore, Pattaya. "Ko Lan" is the name of the island in the Royal Thai General System of Transcription. It is also ...
* Ko Phai
Ko Phai ( th, เกาะไผ่, ) is the largest island in Mu Ko Phai (หมู่เกาะไผ่), a small uninhabited archipelago on the eastern seaboard of Thailand. It is about 21 km to the west of Pattaya. It is also known as ...
* Ko Khram
* Ko Samae San
Samae-San Island ( th, เกาะแสมสาร; Ko Samae-San; ) is a small island in Sattahip District, Chonburi Province of Thailand.
Geography
Ko Samae San has a length of four kilometres and its maximum width is about one kilometre. Th ...
* Ko Samet
Ko Samet (Cajeput Island; th, เกาะเสม็ด, ) is one of the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand, eastern seaboard islands of Thailand. It is in the Gulf of Thailand off the coastline of the Thailand, Thai province of Rayong Province, Ray ...
* Ko Rang
* Ko Khangkhao
* Ko Man Nok ]
Ko Man Nok ( th, เกาะมันนอก, ; also spelled Koh Munnork) is a small private island, among a group of islands in the Klaeng Bay, Rayong Province, Thailand, called Man. The group includes Ko Man Nai, Ko Man Klang and Ko Man Nok i ...
* Ko Wai
* Ko Phi
* Ko Kham
* Ko Sai
* Ko Kra
Ko Kra ( th, เกาะกระ, ) is a group of small rocky islets in the southern area of the Gulf of Thailand. It is under the administration of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province of Thailand.
This islet group should not be confused with other ...
* Ko Losin
Ko Losin ( th, เกาะโลซิน, ) is a small rocky islet in the southern area of the Gulf of Thailand. It is under the Panare District (administrative area) of the Pattani Province of Thailand.
Owing to the islet's relative remote ...
* Phú Quốc
Phú Quốc () is the largest island in Vietnam. Phú Quốc and nearby islands, along with the distant Thổ Chu Islands, are part of Kiên Giang Province as Phú Quốc City, the island has a total area of and a permanent population of appro ...
* Thổ Chu Islands
Thổ Chu Islands ( vi, quần đảo Thổ Chu, link=no) is an archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand. It constitutes Tho Chau Commune of Phú Quốc District, Kiên Giang Province, Vietnam.
Geography
Thổ Chu Islands consist of eight islands ...
* Hà Tiên Islands
* Bà Lụa Islands
* Nam Du Islands
* Koh Kong
* Koh Rong
Koh Rong ( km, កោះរ៉ុង, ) is the second largest island of Cambodia. The word ''Rong'' might refer to an old term for "cave" or "tunnel" ( km, រូង, links=no, ), although some islanders say ''Rong'' refers to a historical p ...
* Koh Sdach
Koh Sdach island (Khmer: កោះស្តេច, King Island) is located in the Gulf of Thailand, around off the coast of Botum Sakor national park, in the Kiri Sakor district in Koh Kong province, Cambodia. It belongs to a small archipel ...
* Koh Rong Sanloem
Koh Rong Sanloem ( km, កោះរ៉ុងសន្លឹម, ) is an island off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, south of Koh Rong island. It is around long (north to south), wide (east to west) and wide at its narrowest point. Its d ...
* Koh Puos Koh Puos or Kaoh Puos ( km, កោះពស់), ''Snake Island'' - named "Île Coudée" (Elbow Island) during the French colonial period) is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, located about off the coast of Sihanoukville city in southern ...
* Koh Dek Koul
Koh Dek Koul Khmer: កោះដេកកោល, ''Nail island'' is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand located about 7 km off the coast of Sihanoukville city, in southern Cambodia. The exclusive Mirax Resort is based on Koh Dek Koul.
...
* Koh Russei
Koh Russei, Koh Russey or ''Bamboo Island'' (Khmer: កោះឬស្សី) is one of a group of small islands in the Gulf of Thailand, located about off the coast of Sihanoukville city in southern Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; ...
* Koh Ta Kiev
Koh Ta Kiev ( km, កោះតាគៀវ, “Ancestor Kiev’s Island” – named "Ile de la Baie" during the French colonial period) is the biggest of a small group of Cambodian islands situated 4 km off Otres beach, Sihanoukville City ...
* Koh Preab
Koh Preab, km, កោះព្រាប , "Dove Island", named "Île du Départ" during the French colonial period is an island of Cambodia, situated in the Bay of Kompong Saom Sihanoukville Province near its south-eastern coast. This small i ...
* Koh Thmei
* Koh Seh
* Koh Ach Seh
* Koh Tonsay
* Koh Tang
Koh Tang ( km, កោះតាង), also known as Tang Island, is the biggest of a group of Cambodian islands off the coast of Sihanoukville Province in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is situated approximately off the southwest coast of Camb ...
* Koh Pring
* Koh Poulo Wai
Environment
Coral reefs
There are 75,590 rai
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
of coral reef in the gulf, of which five percent are considered to be in fertile condition. In 2010 severe coral bleaching occurred at most reef sites in the country. Bleaching of reefs in the Andaman Sea was more severe and extensive than that in the Gulf of Thailand.[ In 2016, ]coral bleaching
Coral bleaching is the process when corals become white due to various stressors, such as changes in temperature, light, or nutrients. Bleaching occurs when coral polyps expel the zooxanthellae (dinoflagellates that are commonly referred to as alg ...
was detected at Ko Thalu and Ko Lueam in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province for the first time. Scientists have determined that bleaching starts when seawater temperature rises beyond 30 °C for more than three weeks. Given the prolonged period of temperatures up to 32 °C at Ko Thalu in Prachuap Khiri Khan, five to ten percent of corals in the area are already bleached.
Water quality
Coastal water monitoring results in 2015 from 202 sampling locations, collected twice annually, indicate that no Thai coastal waters were found to be in excellent condition. Sixteen percent of coastal water was of good quality, 72 percent was of fair quality, 9 percent was of poor quality and 3 percent was of very poor quality. The quality of all coastal waters exhibited similar percentages — most were of fair quality — except for the Inner Gulf of Thailand, where the coastal water was poor to very poor. In comparison to coastal water quality as measured in 2014, water quality has deteriorated. Some gulf waters off Chachoengsao Province
Chachoengsao ( th, ฉะเชิงเทรา, ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat''), located in eastern Thailand.
History
''Chachoengsao'' or ''Paet Riu'' ('eight stripes') is a province in eastern Thailand. It has a ...
, Samut Sakhon Province, Samut Prakan Province, Bangkok, Rayong Province
Rayong province ( th, ระยอง, ) is one of seventy-six Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') lies in Eastern Thailand#Administrative divisions, eastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chonburi province, ...
, Chonburi Province
Chonburi (, , ) is a province of Thailand (''changwat'') located in eastern Thailand. Its capital is also named Chonburi. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise from north) Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Rayong, while the Bay of Bangkok is to ...
, Phetchaburi Province
Phetchaburi ( th, เพชรบุรี, ) or Phet Buri () is one of the western or central provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, and Prachuap Khiri Khan. In the w ...
, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, and Surat Thani Province were judged to have coastal waters in "poor" or "very poor" condition. Songkhla
Songkhla ( th, สงขลา, ), also known as Singgora or Singora (Pattani Malay: ซิงกอรอ), is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') in Songkhla Province of southern Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. Songkhla lies south of Ba ...
was the only province on the gulf with coastal water rated "good" quality.
Fisheries
Of Thailand's total marine catch, 41 percent is caught in the Gulf of Thailand and 19 percent in the Andaman Sea
The Andaman Sea (historically also known as the Burma Sea) is a marginal sea of the northeastern Indian Ocean bounded by the coastlines of Myanmar and Thailand along the Gulf of Martaban and west side of the Malay Peninsula, and separated from ...
. Forty percent is caught in waters outside Thailand's EEZ.
Coastal erosion
Thailand has 1,660 kilometres of coastline bordering the gulf. "Severe erosion", more than five metres of coastline loss per year, afflicts 670 kilometres of that total. At least some of the erosion is attributable to the clearing of mangrove forests to make way for shrimp farms.
Plastic pollution
In February 2017, a 10 kilometer-long patch of plastic refuse was found floating off Chumphon Province. Thailand is among the world's worst plastic polluters. More than half of "land-based plastic waste
Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g. plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat. Plastics that act as pollutants are catego ...
leakage" into the sea originates from just five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Thai Marine and Coastal Resources Department has noted that at least 300 sea animals on average—60 per cent of which are whales and dolphins—die from eating plastic fishing gear and trash each year. Filter feeding
Filter feeders are a sub-group of suspension feeding animals that feed by straining suspended matter and food particles from water, typically by passing the water over a specialized filtering structure. Some animals that use this method of feedin ...
invertebrates tested off the coast of Chonburi Province
Chonburi (, , ) is a province of Thailand (''changwat'') located in eastern Thailand. Its capital is also named Chonburi. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise from north) Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Rayong, while the Bay of Bangkok is to ...
showed high levels of microplastics
Microplastics are fragments of any type of plastic less than in length, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Chemicals Agency. They cause pollution by entering natural ecosystems from a v ...
, leading the authors to warn that, "Health risks are possible when people consume these contaminated marine organisms, particularly shellfish."
Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD) estimates that plastic waste in the country is increasing at an annual rate of 12 percent, or around two million tonne
The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton ( United State ...
s per year.
Oil spills
In 2013, a pipeline leak resulted in an oil slick that went on to coat a beach on the nearby Ka Samet island.
In late January 2022, a leak in the pipeline operated by the Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Ltd caused a spill of 20 to 50 tonnes across 47 sq km of water, with some oil reaching the coast of Rayong province
Rayong province ( th, ระยอง, ) is one of seventy-six Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') lies in Eastern Thailand#Administrative divisions, eastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chonburi province, ...
20 km away.
Tourism
The gulf's many coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
reefs have made it attractive to divers. The tropical warmth of the water attracts many tourists. Some of the most important tourist destinations in the Gulf of Thailand are the islands of Ko Samui
Ko Samui (or Koh Samui, also often locally shortened to Samui; th, เกาะสมุย, ) is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko ...
and Ko Pha Ngan
Ko Pha-ngan ( th, เกาะพะงัน, , ) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in Surat Thani Province of southern Thailand. Ko Pha-ngan is best known for its Full Moon Party at Hat Rin Beach. Ko Pha-ngan has two sister islands: th ...
in Surat Thani Province, Pattaya
Pattaya ( th, พัทยา, , ) is a city in Thailand. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about southeast of Bangkok, within, but not part of, Bang Lamung district in the province of Chonburi province, Chonburi. Pattaya City ( ...
in Chonburi Province
Chonburi (, , ) is a province of Thailand (''changwat'') located in eastern Thailand. Its capital is also named Chonburi. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise from north) Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Rayong, while the Bay of Bangkok is to ...
, Cha-am in Phetchaburi Province
Phetchaburi ( th, เพชรบุรี, ) or Phet Buri () is one of the western or central provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, and Prachuap Khiri Khan. In the w ...
, Hua Hin
Hua Hin ( th, หัวหิน, ) is one of eight districts (''amphoe'') of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. Its seat of government, also named Hua Hin, is a beach resort town. The district ...
in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, and Ko Samet
Ko Samet (Cajeput Island; th, เกาะเสม็ด, ) is one of the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand, eastern seaboard islands of Thailand. It is in the Gulf of Thailand off the coastline of the Thailand, Thai province of Rayong Province, Ray ...
in Rayong Province
Rayong province ( th, ระยอง, ) is one of seventy-six Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') lies in Eastern Thailand#Administrative divisions, eastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chonburi province, ...
.
In recent years, the bay has become known for its whale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins ( cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes.Hoyt, E. 2 ...
activities, targeting the endemic, critically endangered populations of cetacean
Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...
s (Eden's whale
Bryde's whale ( Brooder's), or the Bryde's whale complex, putatively comprises three species of rorqual and maybe four. The "complex" means the number and classification remains unclear because of a lack of definitive information and research. ...
s, newly described Omura's whale
Omura's whale or the dwarf fin whale (''Balaenoptera omurai'') is a species of rorqual about which very little is known. Before its formal description, it was referred to as a small, dwarf or pygmy form of Bryde's whale by various sources. The c ...
s, Chinese white dolphins, and Irrawaddy dolphin
The Irrawaddy dolphin (''Orcaella brevirostris'') is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in scattered subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia. It closely resembles the ...
s showing unique feeding behaviors), and dugong
The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest m ...
s.[Marsh, H. ''et al.'' (2002)]
Dugong: status reports and action plans for countries and territories
. IUCN. It was first classified by Müller in 1776 as ''Trichechus dugon''.[Dugong dugon]
The Paleobiology Database. Retrieved on 22 July 2007. Five species of the sea turtles have been found in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman sea coast, including olive ridley turtles, green turtles, hawksbill turtles, loggerhead turtles, and leatherback turtles.
Territorial disputes
The area between Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam is subject to several territorial disputes. Malaysia and Thailand have chosen to jointly develop the disputed areas, which include the islands of Ko Kra
Ko Kra ( th, เกาะกระ, ) is a group of small rocky islets in the southern area of the Gulf of Thailand. It is under the administration of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province of Thailand.
This islet group should not be confused with other ...
and Ko Losin
Ko Losin ( th, เกาะโลซิน, ) is a small rocky islet in the southern area of the Gulf of Thailand. It is under the Panare District (administrative area) of the Pattani Province of Thailand.
Owing to the islet's relative remote ...
. A long-standing dispute between Cambodia and Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand concerns mainly the island of Phú Quốc
Phú Quốc () is the largest island in Vietnam. Phú Quốc and nearby islands, along with the distant Thổ Chu Islands, are part of Kiên Giang Province as Phú Quốc City, the island has a total area of and a permanent population of appro ...
or Koh Tral in Khmer, which is off the Cambodian coast. Cambodia also claims of shelf area.
See also
* 2010 floods in Thailand and north Malaysia
A series of flash floods hit different areas of Thailand and Malaysia in 2010. Separate but related floods began in the Isaan, Northeast and Central Thailand (per the six-region definition) in early October due to abnormally late monsoon moistur ...
* Apsara field The Apsara field is a subsea oil field in Cambodian waters in the central Gulf of Thailand. Oil was discovered in the area in the early 2000s, but was produced only briefly in the early 2020s before the project collapsed after failing to meet produ ...
References
External links
Maritime boundary delimitation in the gulf of Thailand – Schofield, Clive Howard (1999)
{{Authority control
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
Maritime Southeast Asia
Bodies of water of Cambodia
Bodies of water of Malaysia
Seas of Thailand
Gulfs of Vietnam
Bodies of water of the South China Sea
Cambodia–Thailand border
Cambodia–Vietnam border
Malaysia–Vietnam border
Gulfs of Asia