Artificial mangrove roots offer a stopgap for Thailand’s eroding coastline.
Researchers at Chulalongkorn University and partner institutions trialed artificial mangrove root structures at 11 sites in Thailand's Samut Prakan province and recorded sediment buildup behind them at 10 sites.
Researchers in Thailand tested a system of artificial mangrove roots at 11 sites in Samut Prakan province, including Phra Samut Chedi district in the Chao Phraya River Delta. According to a study in Ocean & Coastal Management, sediment built up behind the structures at 10 of the sites. Retention ranged from 16 to 88 centimeters (6 to 35 inches), depending on local conditions, and one site showed no detectable change.
Phra Samut Chedi is among the country's most erosion-prone districts, with roughly 20 to 60 meters (about 66 to 200 feet) of land lost to the sea each year. Farmland is disappearing and families have had to move. Earlier efforts, including mangrove replanting, mud dikes and bamboo fences, did not hold up well against strong waves. The study notes that bamboo fences typically break down within one to two years.
Each unit has a central trunk made of wood-plastic composite, with rubber root-like projections that dissipate wave energy and trap sediment. Units are mounted on modules 50 to 120 meters long and installed in rows as a permeable barrier. Kasetsart University researchers first designed the system in 2016, and Chulalongkorn University teams refined it. Senior author Butsawan Bidorn said modules can be installed in two to four weeks.
The team analyzed satellite data and drone-based laser maps taken 8 to 15 months after installation. Unprotected stretches of shoreline kept eroding, with more than 10 meters of land lost at several locations. At workshops, farmers and landowners reported calmer conditions. Shrimp farmers at one site rebuilt mud dikes, and a landowner at another resumed mangrove planting, with early 2026 aerial monitoring showing established seedlings.
The researchers and an outside expert stressed limits. Retention was strongest near river mouths and weaker in deeper, higher-energy settings. “Without the sediment supply, this solution cannot work,” Butsawan said. Sompratana Ritphring of Kasetsart University, who was not part of the study, said the structures should be a temporary, enabling component. She called for monitoring over five or 10 years and for plans to inspect, maintain and eventually remove them.
The team is continuing to monitor the Phra Samut Chedi sites and is testing the roots in Samut Sakhon, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phang Nga provinces. According to the report, there is also interest in collaboration in Indonesia.
At a Glance
- The trial covered 11 sites in Samut Prakan province, and sediment built up behind the structures at 10 of them.
- Sediment retention ranged from 16 to 88 centimeters, measured 8 to 15 months after installation.
- Satellite data showed unprotected shoreline at several locations lost more than 10 meters of land to the sea.
- Modules 50 to 120 meters long can be installed in two to four weeks, according to Butsawan Bidorn.
- The study was published in Ocean & Coastal Management in 2026.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.