Tropical Sandy Beach Process and Morphodynamics, Chanthaburi Province, Thailand

     This sub-project was conducted since 2015 as a collaborative project between the Department of Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Third Institute of Oceanography (TIO), and the Island Research Center (IRC) under the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), People's Republic of China. The project aims to investigate various processes happening on the tropical sandy beaches that are related to coastal morphodynamics. It also involves identifying different patterns of coastal geomorphological changes as a result of geological and anthropogenic activities and classifying coastal land use based on geo-oceanography, in order to improve a plan on coastal management and planning.

Objectives

• To investigate various processes happening on the tropical sandy beaches (e.g., waves, tides, coastal currents, and sandy sediment movement) related to coastal morphodynamics.
• To classify appropriate coastal land use based on academic principles using data from surveys, studies, and researches to promote sustainable development.
• To enhance capacity of the officers of the Department of Mineral Resources on every aspects of marine and coastal geological surveys, hydrography, and oceanography.

Expected benefits

• Dataset on the changes of the tropical sandy beaches such as offshore sand sediment transportation and coastal morphodynamics.
• Dataset on coastal land use and management guidelines.
• Enhanced capacity in marine and coastal geology for the officers of Department of Mineral Resources, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (Thailand) and those of the Third Institute of Oceanography and the Island Research Center (People's Republic of China).
• Better understanding and knowledge on coastal morphodynamics and the use of coastal area for the local authorities and residents in the target areas.