A meeting for "better understanding of operations" according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change  and the Kyoto Protocol was held yesterday by officials and scholars.

Deputy director-general Pornthip Puncharoen of the Environment Quality Promotion Department said that although Thailand emitted relatively small amounts of carbon dioxide compared to other countries' industrial sectors it had to work more urgently on pollution control and become far more aware of the effects of climate change.

In the 21st century the temperature is predicted to rise by 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius on average and sea levels to rise by at least 0.8-0.9 metres.

This will affect health, food security, natural resources and the environment, she said. Ramkha-mhaeng University lecturer Dr Kansri Boonprakob said global warming would cause heat waves affecting water sources and crops and increase insect-borne epidemics such as malaria and dengue fever.

Increased flooding can contaminate food and water sources with microbes, causing diarrhoea and other diseases, she said.

"Thailand must see the importance of the matter and act quickly, finding ways to adjust to the increasing temperatures," Kansri said, adding that research must be carried out to find ways for the government to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

"The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has grown from 270-280 parts per million [before 1900] to 380 parts per million and will reach 500 parts per million," she said.

She urged agencies to seek ways to handle global warming rather than focusing on supporting the Clean Development Mechanism, which she said only benefited small groups.