Thailand Braces for Severe Coral Bleaching Crisis

BANGKOK — 2 July 2026, A Thai marine scientist has warned that rising sea temperatures could trigger another widespread coral bleaching event, as global monitoring shows conditions rapidly worsening ahead of a forecast super El Niño.

Asst. Prof. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, Deputy Dean for Special Affairs at the Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, shared an image published by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Thursday. NOAA is responsible for monitoring and forecasting changes in the climate, oceans and ecosystems.

The graphic shows NOAA's global coral bleaching alert map, projecting bleaching risks across oceans worldwide as an impending super El Niño develops. The highest warning level, shown in purple, has already appeared across parts of the central Pacific Ocean.

Thon said the NOAA graphic illustrates a terrifying threat that is gradually creeping closer. The coral bleaching alert system has five colour-coded levels, and Thailand has not seen areas approaching the highest warning colours for a long time. Now, however, purple zones have already emerged across parts of the central Pacific.

Sea surface temperatures are directly linked to coral bleaching, he said. Although the world has entered the early stages of El Niño only recently, the highest-level warning zones are already beginning to appear.

"I don't want to imagine how severe conditions could become when El Niño reaches its peak and develops into a super El Niño between November and January," Thon said.

Based on the projection, he said the red and purple zones are expected to gradually move closer to Southeast Asia, signalling that another major coral bleaching event could be approaching.

Although scattered bleaching incidents have already been reported, Thon said there are still about six months to prepare before the most critical period arrives.

If current projections continue, he warned that Thailand's marine ecosystems could face their most severe impacts between February and June next year.

The Faculty of Fisheries is now accelerating preparations at several study sites, focusing on coral reefs and seagrass beds while exploring ways to help protect them if sea temperatures rise significantly. Even if the effort can cover only limited areas, he said, the faculty will do everything within its capability.

Thon added that unusually warm seas would affect not only marine ecosystems but also coastal fisheries, aquaculture and tourism, as some reef areas may need to be temporarily closed to allow ecosystems to recover.

"We need to prepare Plans A through Z thoroughly. The warning signs are already here, signalling that this upcoming onslaught could be extremely severe," he said. "A red alert is approaching."