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Thailand’s Three Major Issues Essay

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Introduction
Thailand or also known as the Kingdom of Thailand is located at the center of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. Its surrounding countries are Burma, Laos, and Cambodia. The capital city of Thailand is Bangkok, and the country predominantly follows the Buddhist faith. As of 2011 Thailand was the 21st most populous country in the world, with around 64 million people. Thailand is notorious for its breathtaking scenery and famous tourist spots. However, what you might not know is that Thailand is currently facing a number of issues as a country; these issues can be summed up into three major categories: Environmental issues, Human Rights issues, and the South Thailand Insurgency. Each one of these issues is hurting …show more content…

However, this isn’t the main contributor to Thailand’s deforestation issue. According to Phillip Hirsch’s article, “Deforestation and Development in Thailand”, Hirsch states, “in the past, forest cover in Thailand has been greatly reduced as the Thai people convert forested land for agriculture, such as slash-and-burn agriculture. For example, forest cover fell drastically from 53% in 1961 to 25% in 1998; and more rice fields and urban sprawls have been converted from what were originally wetlands” (Hirsch, 129).
Lastly the most critical environmental problem Thailand is facing is water pollution. Not only is Thailand subject to drought, but Thailand’s water resources are constantly being polluted by waste water. This is a big concern because it basically means the Thai people have virtually no clean drinking water. According to the report “Environmental & Natural Resource Economics”, “Water Pollution results in typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis, trachoma, hookworm, and diarrhea. In 1999, the hospitalization rates were: Typhoid — 4,000 people, Dysentery — 7,000 people, and Diarrhea — 95,000 people” (Tietenberg and Lewis, 464).
As of today the Thai government has done its best to help these severe environmental situations. When it comes to the air pollution and deforestation issues, just like the majority of the world, there is not

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