Development of a coral bleaching prediction system from marine environmental databases and fish shelter for habitat restoration in the Gulf of Thailand
Satri Angthong School
No views · Published October 4, 2026
About the Project
Coral bleaching in the Gulf of Thailand has increased from 21% in 1998 to 84% during 2023-2025 as sea temperatures rise, contributing to declining fish stocks and loss of reef habitat. This study aimed to develop (1) a coral bleaching risk prediction system and (2) an artificial fish shelter for habitat restoration. The Coral Bleaching Prophet integrates sea surface temperature (SST), degree heating weeks (DHW), turbidity, salinity, and other environmental variables from marine databases to generate province-level risk maps. The shelter is a half-dome artificial reef designed for 3D printing from Portland cement, crushed seashell (CaCO₃), and coconut shell biochar, with multiple hole sizes to shelter parrotfish, which control algae and can accelerate coral recovery. In a preliminary comparison, the multi-factor system produced a higher mean risk score than NOAA's SST-based approach (70.5% vs 38.0%), suggesting greater detection sensitivity. Validation against observed bleaching records and structural testing of the shelter are planned. The system is expected to support early warning and reef restoration at an estimated cost of 500-1,500 baht per unit.