The pollution problem from municipal solid waste in Thailand is serious. Population growth and rapid economic expansion have resulted in a significant increase in the quantity of solid waste. Inadequate provisions for waste collection, shortages of disposal equipment, and the inability of the responsible agencies to find appropriate disposal sites, also are major causes of the present problems. The environmental impacts that result from unsanitary disposal sites have become a serious public concern across the country.

Environmentally protective and publicly acceptable siting of regional sanitary landfills or facilities for municipal solid waste management in the upper southern region of Thailand: Cbumphon, Arabi, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Phone Near Phuket, Rations and Surat Tham Provinces represents a key contribution to solving the solid waste dilemma. In an approach to environmentally sound siting procedures, solid waste quantities, haul distances, and location restrictions following "The Regulation and Guideline of Municipality Solid Waste Management" by the Thai Pollution Control Department (PCD), were considered as important data resources in a Geographic Information System (GIB) approach to siting. Other factors to be considered in evaluating potential sites include engineering factors, comparative costs, and the environmental impact assessment. An additional goal is to evaluate the approach to locating landfills and other environmental management facilities in the Thai context.