Country Evidence/Thailand/2025
Aquaculture-related livelihood changes due to climate and non-climate stressors and well-being of residents in coastal communities
Peer-Reviewed
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This 2025 peer-reviewed article in Environmental Challenges by Piyapong Janmaimool, Siriphan Nunsunanon and Thamma-aphiphol Kriengsak examines how aquaculture-related livelihoods have changed in the coastal communities of Bang Khun Thian, the only coastal district of Bangkok, Thailand, and how these changes relate to residents’ well-being. Drawing on a 57-year perspective, the study documents climate and non-climate stressors affecting the area, including heavy rainfall, high water temperatures, sea-level rise and severe land erosion, alongside urbanisation and economic change. Using mixed methods, the authors trace a shift from households relying wholly on aquaculture to those engaged in partial aquaculture or abandoning it altogether for other occupations. They then identify the factors that determine residents’ well-being under these transitions, such as income stability, access to resources, social ties and environmental quality. The research shows that climate pressures can drive major livelihood restructuring over time, with uneven outcomes for different households. Classed as direct evidence under Livelihoods, Gender and Socioeconomics, the article provides rare long-run livelihood-change evidence for Thailand. It is useful for understanding the social dimensions of coastal aquaculture decline, for urban coastal planning, and for designing support for communities undergoing climate-driven livelihood transitions.
Additional Details
- Author(s)
- Piyapong Janmaimool; Siriphan Nunsunanon; Thamma-aphiphol Kriengsak
- Type
- Peer-reviewed article – Environmental Challenges
- Aquaculture / Fisheries Dimension
- Aquaculture-dependent livelihoods, Bang Khun Thian coastal communities, Bangkok
- Relevance to Climate Aquaculture
- Direct
- Thematic Area
- Livelihoods, Gender & Socioeconomics
- Climate Issue
- Heavy rainfall, high water temperatures, sea-level rise and land erosion over 57 years
- Adaptation / Key Contribution
- Mixed-methods study tracing livelihood shifts from pure to partial/non-aquaculture; identifies determinants of resident well-being
- How to Use / Notes
- Long-run livelihood-change evidence