Khlong Tamru (Bang Pakong) is a coastal wetland complex located at the mouth of the Bang Pakong River in Chon Buri Province, within the Inner Gulf of Thailand. Covering approximately 3,000 hectares, the site comprises a mosaic of intertidal mudflats, remnant mangrove and Nypa palm stands, salt pans, aquaculture ponds, and brackish marshes. Although not formally designated as a protected area, Khlong Tamru lies within the Inner Gulf of Thailand Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and is internationally important as a staging and wintering site for migratory shorebirds.

The site supports globally significant congregations of Tibetan Sandplover and Ruff, and holds significant numbers of threatened migratory species, including Spotted Greenshank, Spoon‑billed Sandpiper, and Spot‑billed Pelican. Khlong Tamru provides critical regulating ecosystem services, particularly flood hazard regulation, water purification, salinity regulation, and coastal protection, that benefit communities within, adjacent to, and downstream of the site. However, the wetland is under increasing pressure from industrial and wastewater pollution, infrastructure expansion linked to Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor, altered sediment flows caused by dam management upstream, and climate change–driven sea‑level rise. Strengthening integrated river basin and coastal management, improving wastewater management, restoring degraded mangrove and mudflat areas, and promoting biodiversity‑friendly salt farming, aquaculture, and nature‑based tourism offer key opportunities to enhance resilience while safeguarding the site’s ecological and economic values.

RFI Site Snapshot