15 July 2026 – The Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute (MCRRDI), Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), convened the workshop "Study on Dissolved Oxygen Depletion in the Coastal Waters of the Gulf of Thailand to Support the Coastal-SOS Programme" at Taeb Nilanidhi Building, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.

The workshop brought together more than 50 participants, including researchers, policymakers, and experts from government agencies, universities, and research institutions across Thailand. Participating organizations included the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Pollution Control Department, Chulalongkorn University, Prince of Songkla University (Phuket Campus), Kasetsart University, Burapha University, as well as invited experts and stakeholders working in marine environmental management.

The meeting marked a major milestone in synthesizing scientific findings generated between 2019 and 2024 through collaborative research supported by institutions in Thailand and China. The primary objective was to integrate multidisciplinary evidence on coastal deoxygenation, identify the major environmental drivers of eutrophication and hypoxia, and collect expert recommendations for the development of policy guidance to support sustainable coastal management in Thailand.

The workshop was officially opened by Ms. Vararin Vongpanich, Biodiversity Research Specialist and Inspector-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, who highlighted the importance of translating scientific knowledge into evidence-based policy to address emerging marine environmental challenges under a changing climate.

The scientific programme featured presentations covering multiple components of the coastal ecosystem, providing a comprehensive understanding of deoxygenation processes in the Gulf of Thailand:

·Dr. Chalermrat Sangmanee introduced “COASTAL-SOS Thailand” and presented "Climatological and Physical Drivers of Eutrophication and Hypoxia in the Upper Gulf of Thailand," highlighting the influence of monsoon variability, hydrodynamic processes, water-column stratification, and climate variability on oxygen depletion.

·Dr. Khanittha Uthaipan presented "Status of Eutrophication and Hypoxia in Thailand Waters," summarizing the current distribution, temporal trends, and emerging hotspots of eutrophication and hypoxia in Thailand's coastal waters, together with implications for national marine environmental management.

·Dr. Chawalit Charoenpong presented "Nutrient Variation in the Upper Gulf of Thailand," examining spatial and temporal variations in nutrient concentrations and their relationships with riverine inputs and coastal productivity.

·Associate Professor Dr. Thanakorn Jiwarungrueangkul presented "Variations in Geochemical Forms and Potential Mobilization of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Marine Sediments of the Gulf of Thailand," emphasizing the role of marine sediments as both nutrient sinks and potential internal nutrient sources contributing to eutrophication under changing environmental conditions.

·Assistant Professor Dr. Itchika Sivaipram presented "Distribution of Phytoplankton, Zooplankton and Benthos in Relation to Environmental Parameters," demonstrating how biological communities respond to environmental gradients and oxygen conditions, providing important ecological indicators for assessing coastal ecosystem health.

The workshop concluded with an open discussion among scientists, government agencies, and stakeholders, focusing on translating research outcomes into actionable recommendations for marine environmental management. Participants emphasized the need to strengthen long-term monitoring, integrate multidisciplinary observations, improve inter-agency collaboration, and establish science-based policy measures to mitigate eutrophication and coastal deoxygenation under increasing anthropogenic pressures and climate change.

This workshop forms part of the project "Impacts of Human Activities and Climate Change on Dissolved Oxygen Depletion in the Coastal Waters of the Gulf of Thailand to Support the Coastal-SOS Programme," supported by the Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) Fund. The project contributes to the implementation of COASTAL-SOS (Coastal Solutions for Sustainable Ocean Systems) under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) by advancing scientific knowledge, fostering regional collaboration, and strengthening the science-policy interface for sustainable coastal ocean management.

Co-organizer: Dr. Chalermrat Sangmanee (DMCR) and Dr. Chawalit Charoenpong (Chulalongkorn University)

Writter: Dr. Khanittha Uthaipan, Department of marine science, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University

Secretary and Photographer: Suriyapong Kumsopar