Prayut calls for action on sea pollution

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered officials to be diligent in solving the kingdom’s rubbish problem after acknowledging that about 40% of waste went into the ocean last year, according to Traisuree Taisaranakul, deputy government spokeswoman.

The prime minister yesterday voiced his concerns after being briefed earlier by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) about the degradation of marine resources and coastal ecology in the country.

“Marine debris has caused an environmental problem and affected [people’s] health,” Ms Traisuree said, quoting Gen Prayut. “Furthermore, this environmental problem has severely impacted tourism, too.”

“So, officials need to act tough and arrest those who illegally dump debris into the sea,” she added.

The PM then issued a guideline to create a balance between tourism and the maintenance of coastal…