Gulf of Thailand
Gulf of Thailand | ||
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| ||
Primary inflows South China Sea | | |
Basin countries | ||
Surface area | 320,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi) | |
Average depth | 58 m (190 ft) | |
Max. depth | 85 m (279 ft) |
The Gulf of Thailand, also known as the Gulf of Siam, is a shallow inlet
Names
The modern Thai name of the gulf is Ao Thai (Thai: อ่าวไทย, [ʔàːw tʰāj] , 'Thai Gulf') and "Gulf of Thailand" has been adopted as the official name of the body by the International Hydrographic Organization.[5][when?] Its name in Malay is "Gulf of Siam", Teluk Siam or in Jawi script: تلوق سيم, and in Khmer: ឈូងសមុទ្រសៀម, Chhoung Samut Siem. In Thai, the gulf is historically known as Ao Sayam (Thai: อ่าวสยาม).[6] In Vietnamese it is known as Vịnh Thái Lan.
It is generally identified with the
Geography
The Gulf of Thailand is bordered by
The gulf is relatively shallow: its mean depth is 58 metres (190 ft) and the maximum depth is only 85 metres (279 ft).
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the southern limit of the gulf as "[a] line running from the Western extreme of Cambodia or Camau Point (8°36'N) to the Northern extreme of the point on the East side of the estuary of the Kelantan River (6°14′N 102°15′E / 6.233°N 102.250°E)".[5]
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 dewatering and the erosional activity of the present-day bottom currents.[10] The sediment dewatering and fluid seepage result in the formation of numerous small pits and pockmarks. The long-term erosion imposed by currents 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.[10]
Bays
- Thailand
- Cambodia
- Bay of Kompong Som(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 Kut
- Ko Samui
- Ko Pha Ngan
- Ko Tao
- Ko Phaluai
- Ko Sichang
- Ko Lan
- Ko Phai
- Ko Khram
- Ko Samae San
- Ko Samet
- Ko Rang
- Ko Khangkhao
- Ko Man Nok
- Ko Wai
- Ko Phi
- Ko Kham
- Ko Sai
- Ko Kra
- Ko Losin
- Phú Quốc
- Thổ Chu Islands
- Hà Tiên Islands
- Bà Lụa Islands
- Nam Du Islands
- Koh Kong
- Koh Rong
- Koh Sdach
- Koh Rong Sanloem
- Koh Puos
- Koh Dek Koul
- Koh Russei
- Koh Ta Kiev
- Koh Preab
- Koh Thmei
- Koh Seh
- Koh Ach Seh
- Koh Tonsay
- Koh Tang
- Koh Pring
- Koh Poulo Wai
Environment
Coral reefs
There are 75,590
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.
Fisheries
Of Thailand's total marine catch, 41 percent is caught in the Gulf of Thailand and 19 percent in the
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.[15]
Plastic pollution
In February 2017, a 10 kilometer-long patch of plastic refuse was found floating off
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.
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 tonnes per year.[16]
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.[19]
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 km2 of water, with some oil reaching the coast of Rayong province 20 km away.[19][20]
Tourism
The gulf's many
In recent years, the bay has become known for its
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 and Ko Losin.[27] A long-standing dispute between Cambodia and Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand concerns mainly the island of Phú Quốc or Koh Tral in Khmer, which is off the Cambodian coast.[28] Cambodia also claims 48,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi) of shelf area.[29][30]
See also
References
- ^ "Marine Gazetteer browser". Marineregions org. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
- ^ "Thailand, Gulf of". Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
- ^ "Marine Gazetteer Placedetails - Gulf of Thailand". Marineregions org. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
- ^ "Gulf of Thailand". Deepseawaters.com. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ a b "Limits of Oceans and Seas" (PDF) (3 ed.). International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- Royal Thai Government Gazette (in Thai). 88 (D): 44. 1927-05-22. Archived from the original(PDF) on March 8, 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
- ^ "Map of Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Thailand Location Facts, Major Bodies of Water, South China Sea". World Atlas. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- ^ "Gulf of Thailand". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- ^ a b Khongchai, Narongsak; Vibunpant, Somchai; Eiamsa-ard, Monton; Supongpan, Mala. "Preliminary Analysis of Demersal Fish Assemblages in Coastal Waters of the Gulf of Thailand" (PDF). Worldfish. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
- ^
- ^ a b Oceans in the Balance, Thailand in Focus (PDF). Bangkok: Greenpeace Southeast Asia (Thailand). c. 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Wipatayotin, Apinya (2016-04-04). "Rising sea temps bring coral bleaching to Gulf". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ Rujivanarom, Pratch (2018-05-29). "More coral reefs damaged by mass bleaching". The Nation. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-616-316-327-1. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
- ^ Wipatayotin, Apinya (10 December 2017). "Shoring up defences". Bangkok Post Spectrum. Vol. 10, no. 50. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ a b c Wonggruang, Piyaporn (6 May 2018). "SPECIAL REPORT: Alarm raised as Thailand drowns in plastic trash". The Nation. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- ^ Stemming the Tide: Land-based strategies for a plastic- free ocean (PDF). Ocean Conservancy-McKinsey Center for Business and Environment. September 2015. p. 3. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- PMID 28760587.
- ^ a b "Thailand rushes to contain oil spill after undersea leak". France 24. Agence France-Presse. 27 January 2022.
- ^ Wongcha-um, Panu (29 January 2022). Coates, Stephen (ed.). "Thai beach declared disaster area after oil spill". Reuters.
- ^ "มารู้จักวาฬโอมูระ สัตว์ทะเลในบัญชีสัตว์สงวนชุดใหม่" [Come to know Omura's whale, marine animal in the new reserve animal account]. DMCR (in Thai). 2019-05-13.
- ^ "Dugongs and seagrass in Thailand: Present status and future challenges" (PDF). Phuket Marine Biological Center and Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. pp. 41–50. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ "Conservation of the Dugong (Dugong Dugon) on the Eastern Coast of the Gulf of Thailand" (PDF). Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Aberdeen, Hong Kong & Project Aware, Australia. May 1, 2004. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ Marsh, H. et al. (2002). Dugong: status reports and action plans for countries and territories Archived 2007-05-08 at the Wayback Machine. IUCN.
- ^ Dugong dugon. The Paleobiology Database. Retrieved on 22 July 2007.
- ^ Boonngok, Papitchaya (22 June 2009). "Threatened sea turtles have Thai navy for protection". Reuters. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "Defining areas for joint development in disputed waters - Malaysia–Thailand p. 13". University of Wollongong. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ISBN 978-0847660865.
- ISBN 90-411-0690-1.]
- .