Thailand makes environment education compulsory for students

Sensing the need to educate the young minds on green issues, the country has made environment education compulsory right from primary to university students, Advisor to a Thailand Government agency has said.

"We have also roped in NGOs to work in tandem with students to help them know nature and how to preserve it," said, Pramuan Siripunkaew, Advisor Institute for Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPTS), Bangkok .

He said rapid industrialisation is spelling doom for the environment in the country, known for its beaches, ancient shrines and temples

"The situation in the industrial areas is very bad. Government is planning various ways to improvement the situation."

On environment education front, the emphasis is on on-field training for the students and teachers, the Thai government advisor said.

Thailand, with an estimated population of 64 million, has been growing as a manufacturing hub in recent years as it has good quality of labour and abundant natural resources like gas.

The advisor, who is on the forefront of environment education in Thailand, said emergence of his country as a manufacturing base has raised pollution levels.

"Air pollution is a main concern for the cities like Bangkok." Siripunkaew is leading a 18-member delegation which is here to take part in the 8th Global Conference on Environment Education being held in association with Union Ministry of Environment and Forest. The meet got underway on Wednesday.

He, however, declined to admit that the environmental degradation is adversely affecting Thailand's lucrative tourist industry. "The tourist areas are taken care by the Royal Thai Government." Government figures reveal that more than 11 million tourists visit Thailand annually. IPST is an agency under the direction of the Ministry of Education.