Assessment of high-organic wastewater management practices and technologies in Thailand's food and agricultural industries | |
| Author | Kamonchanok Chansri |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-25-20 |
| Subject(s) | Sewage--Purification--Organic compounds removal--Thailand Biogas--Thailand Factory and trade waste--Management--Thailand |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The growth of food and agricultural industries in Thailand are playing an important role on national economy while the wastewater generated from those industrial sectors are rising concern to the environment. The wastewater contains high organic pollutants such as COD and BOD which inadequate management of its effluent causes a problem like eutrophication, aquatic ecosystems, and even human health through food chains. Despite regulatory frameworks and currently widespread treatment methods, many foods and agricultural industry in Thailand face challenges or difficulty in effectively managing and releasing high quality of effluent against their high organic wastewater. A comprehensive assessment of current management practices and technologies is lacking, hindering informed decision making for effective and best suitable solutions. This research aims to critically assess current situations of high organic wastewater management practices and treatment technology in Thailand’s diverse food and agricultural industrial sectors. Employing analysis which involved a comprehensive literature review, interviews with several industrial types to collect and understand current situation on typical treatment technologies, management methods, influent and effluent data, biogas technology availability, challenges, and their needs to better practices. All the data are analyzed for revealing current situation and for suggesting best practice and technology recommendation to improve high organic wastewater management efficiency and enhance technical potential. Finding reveal a predominant reliance on biological treatment both on aerobic process and anaerobic process such as aerobic ponds, UASB, and MBR, with different degrees of operational efficiency and capital or management costs. According to the interview, 44.4 % of the factories were using aerobic ponds, 33.3 % were using UASB, and 22.2% were applying MBR. While these technologies are able to reduce organic pollutants effectively, challenges including high operational costs, inconsistent performance from fluctuating wastewater pollution loads, and inadequate sludge management and disposal practices persist. Moreover, wastewater was produced 17,603 m³/day among 9 interviewed factories, and BOD and COD were produced 22,143 mg/L, and 38,858 mg/L respectively. National institutional governance is mainly operated by MoNRE, MIND, MOPH, and MOL, however, the inspection seems to be not enough. The industrial effluent standard strictness of Thailand is in moderate range when comparing with other countries.Furthermore, the potential for resource recovery, such as biogas recovery and water reusing, remains largely underutilized among the sectors which only 1 factory among 9 factories were applying biogas technology. Current Thailand’s industrial wastewater management methods seem to be reactive rather than proactive and such behavior leads to minimum necessary treatment. This assessment underscores the need for a more effective, sustainable, and suitable approach to high organic wastewater management in Thailand’s food and agricultural industrial sectors. Recommendations include promoting advanced and cost-effective treatment technologies with a focus on strengthening regulatory enforcement, capital cost, operational cost, efficiency, and technical challenges to foster environmental sustainability. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering (DWREE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Xue, Wenchao; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Thammarat Koottatep;Vilas Nitivattananon; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |