Visual pollution assessment in Mu Ko Chang National Park, Thailand: A landscape-based approach

This study presents a systematic, landscape-based assessment of visual pollution in Mu Ko Chang National Park, a popular nature-based tourism destination in Thailand. Eight types of visual disturbance including billboards, graffiti, garbage dumps, abandoned buildings, wastewater discharge points, improper use of public spaces, electric poles and wires and poorly maintained public utilities, were recorded across four different landscape zones: community areas and high, medium and low-density tourism areas. Fieldwork was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025, covering both high and low tourism seasons. Data were collected along 63 kilometres of designated survey routes using structured observation forms, GPS geotagging and triangulation to ensure spatial accuracy and methodological reliability. The findings indicate that electric poles and tangled overhead wiring were the most common form of visual degradation across all zones, contributing significantly to scenic fragmentation. Other disturbances, including unmanaged waste, excessive signage and graffiti, were concentrated in high-use areas with limited regulatory oversight, while low-density zones exhibited a high prevalence of abandoned infrastructure and billboard intrusion. ANOVA results confirmed statistically significant differences in visual pollution frequency amongst zones. The study reveals that visual pollution reflects not only aesthetic decline, but also broader challenges related to governance, land use and management disparities. It emphasises the need for spatially responsive and zone-specific strategies, integrating infrastructure regulation, visual landscape planning and community-based stewardship. By conceptualising visual pollution as a multidimensional conservation concern, the study contributes to a growing body of literature that illustrates for its integration into protected area monitoring and sustainable tourism planning frameworks.