The rescue mission for the last 14 dolphins in Thailand, the breath of Songkhla Lake: NSTDA and the World Bank partner with multiple agencies to create a 5-year roadmap, investing 402 million baht to conserve and breed dolphins and promote sustainable coexistence with local communities.
"Irrawaddy dolphin" This species is named after the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, a neighboring country of Thailand. It is a mammal that can live in both freshwater and brackish water, found along coastlines from the Bay of Bengal in South Asia to Indonesia. The "freshwater" Irrawaddy dolphins are rarer and currently found only in five locations worldwide: the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, the Mekong River in Laos and Cambodia, the Mahakam River in Indonesia, Chilika Lake in India, and Songkhla Lake in Thailand.
In these freshwater habitats, Irrawaddy dolphins number between 70 and 100 individuals per location. However, in Songkhla Lake, their status is different, with only 14 remaining, classified as critically endangered, and they may disappear from the lake forever if timely assistance is not provided.
Mr. Piti Sakumpong A former fisherman turned shrimp bank operator and currently vice chairman of Ban Khlong Khut community, he said that since childhood he has seen Irrawaddy dolphins living alongside Songkhla Lake, frequently encountering both live dolphins and carcasses washed ashore each year.
Mr. Piti added that during his fishing days around 1982–1987, he often saw groups of more than ten dolphins at a time, estimating there were about 50 individuals. However, with the increase of fishing gear deployment, dolphins got caught in nets, their habitats and food sources were restricted, leading to the current situation where only about a dozen remain, occasionally seen but far less frequently than before.
Mr. Santi Nilwat Director of the Andaman Lower Coastal and Marine Resources Research Center, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), revealed that Irrawaddy dolphins have likely inhabited this area since Songkhla Lake formed 1,500 years ago, initially living along the coast before the lake was created. "Sathing Phra sandbar" Which blocks the salty water from the Gulf of Thailand, turning the area into a freshwater lake. It is believed the dolphin population was enclosed within the lake at the same time.
In the past, many Irrawaddy dolphins lived here before the arrival of "fishing gear" which increased continuously and improved in efficiency, reducing the dolphins’ food supply and causing dolphins to become entangled in these gears, especially "giant catfish nets" There are also rising water pollution problems linked to the development of surrounding communities and the shallowing of the lake.
Over the past 30 years, 144 Irrawaddy dolphins have died—averaging over eight per year—with more than 60% dying due to net entanglement. This led to a net buyback program for giant catfish nets, which clearly reduced dolphin strandings and eliminated net entanglement incidents.
However, the reduced death rate may also reflect the smaller dolphin population. The latest 2022 survey found only 14 Irrawaddy dolphins in Songkhla Lake. Dolphins are reproductively fragile, with an average lifespan of 30–50 years, reaching maturity at 8 years and giving birth to one calf every 2–3 years. Each pregnancy lasts 12 months, followed by 18 months of close nursing. If the mother dies during this period, the calf usually dies as well.
. Mr. Kitipong Songnuay Head of the Thale Luang Wildlife Sanctuary, Protected Areas Regional Office 6 (Songkhla), Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Currently, fishing gear placement zones are designated to protect dolphins in the upper part of Songkhla Lake, known as "Thale Luang" Divided into three layers: "Zone A" The innermost area, the lake’s yolk, covering about 47,000 rai, where fishing gear use is strictly prohibited.
Next is "Zone B" The middle outer layer, about 56,000 rai, where fishing gear is allowed but nets with mesh sizes larger than 13 cm are prohibited. Lastly, "Zone C" The outermost area, covering 268,000 rai, where nets larger than 20 cm mesh size are banned.
Dividing these zones affects fishing activities of over 61 villages around Thale Luang. Officials spent more than 3–4 years consulting and collaborating with communities to establish "fish traps" along the shore as alternative fishing sites to compensate for reduced fishing in the lake and minimize disturbance to dolphins.
Although the latest survey found 14 dolphins, this preliminary data lacks detailed studies on their exact number, sex ratio, and ages, making conservation planning difficult and leading to the "Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Action Plan for Songkhla Lake" Developed through multi-sector collaboration.
On 24 Mar 2026 GMT+7, at the opening ceremony of the orientation for the Irrawaddy dolphin conservation plan in Songkhla Lake, Prof. Dr. Sompong Klainongsruang, Director of the National Science, Research and Innovation Policy Office (NSTDA), stated that the Irrawaddy dolphin conservation plan is a flagship project under the national research and innovation strategic plan and is important to the Thai government’s priorities on conservation, climate change, and sustainable development.
This initiative is a collaboration among at least three ministries, driven by the Science, Research and Innovation Fund (SRI Fund) through the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and the Research and Innovation Promotion Office (RIPO). It also involves functional agencies such as the Department of Fisheries, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, and cooperation with the World Bank.
The project’s total budget is 402.8 million baht, consisting of 181 million baht from government function budgets, 89 million baht from the SRI Fund, and 132 million baht (4 million USD) from the World Bank’s PROBLUE Fund, which supports integrated, sustainable economic activities within healthy ocean ecosystems. Prof. Dr. Sompong added that the research and innovation component includes four main work areas: restoring Songkhla Lake and its aquatic life, conserving and breeding Irrawaddy dolphins, and fostering community engagement around the lake for sustainable development.
Mr. Santi, Director of the Andaman Coastal and Marine Resources Research Center, revealed that initial funding will be used to install 64 Acoustic Survey (PAM) devices across the lake to monitor Irrawaddy dolphin movements in real time. This will enable dynamic fishing zone declarations based on dolphin locations to prevent disturbance and allow fishermen more flexible fishing areas than the current fixed zones.
Hope for three dolphin calves in three years Prof. Dr. Sompong, NSTDA Director, said the research plan aims for at least three continuous years of collaboration in dolphin conservation and breeding in the wild. "Within these three years, if we fully understand the life of Irrawaddy dolphins, it is very possible to ensure their survival and reproduction, leveraging knowledge from marine dolphins and World Bank research models from other countries," he said.
Sustainable coexistence with communities
Prof. Dr. Sompong said that surrounding communities will be compensated, possibly through provision of suitable fishing gear. If areas with dense dolphin populations significantly impact fishing, alternative areas with new aquatic resources may be identified to provide income opportunities, improving livelihoods and environmental quality simultaneously. With thorough research and successful breeding, economic and tourism development could follow, though this requires long-term investment.
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Phedimsak Jariyapan, Director of the Blue Economy Research and Innovation Coordination Center at NRCT, said community resistance varies, with some fully supportive and others less engaged due to unclear benefits. Successful Irrawaddy dolphin conservation will indicate a healthy natural resource base and support sustainable use benefiting local residents, fostering eventual community cooperation and recognition of the project’s value.
