The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources surveyed four provinces in the upper Gulf of Thailand and found only five black-chinned catfish, highlighting the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and Bang Khun Thian areas.
Officials from the Upper Gulf of Thailand Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center (UGT-MCRRC) under the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources conducted fieldwork to track the spread of black-chinned catfish in estuarine ecosystems across four key provinces: Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Bangkok, and Samut Sakhon, covering 12 survey stations using floating nets and random cast nets.
The survey found only five black-chinned catfish, limited to just two specific locations:
The mouth of the Chao Phraya River in Samut Prakan province.
Khlong Khun Ratchaphinit area in Bangkok.
Meanwhile, no black-chinned catfish were found at two other key survey sites: the mouth of the Bang Pakong River in Chachoengsao and the mouth of the Tha Chin River in Samut Sakhon.
The survey also recorded 30 other aquatic species, reflecting that the estuarine and coastal ecosystems of the upper Gulf of Thailand still possess high biodiversity. Close monitoring through the approach of “early detection, continuous tracking, and data-based management” remains crucial for proactive surveillance to prevent outbreaks and maintain the balance of Thailand's aquatic life.
