The Golok river forms part of the International Boundary between Malaysia and Thailand.  The coastline in thevicinity of the Golok river mouth is highly dynamic.  Large quantities of sediment are moved in the near shore annually.  The coastline has undergone significant recession caused by strong waved induced sediment transport from the south-east to the north-west.  At the Golok River mouth this has implication for navigation, flood discharge capacity and stabilization of the river mouth in relation to the demarcation of the International Boundary.

      At certain times of the year access to the sea for fishing boats is checked due to the sand barrier and wave condition at the river mouth.  flooding in the Golok River basin occurs annually and has caused extensive damage to existing infrastructure, and disruption to daily commercial and social activities as well as to more intensive inhabitation development in flood prone areas.  In recent times the erosion of the foreshore land has caused the Golok River entrance to move towards the south-east with the old river course forming a coastal lagoon (Tak Bai) on the Thailand side.  The variability of the river entrance has caused the location of the International Boundary Line to become indistinct such that the access to the sea is only through "foreign water".

     The construction of two shore connected breakwaters, and entrance channel, on opening to Tak Bai Lagoon, and protective works along the Thailand coastline were designed to improve the Golok River mouth with agreement from the Malaysian and Thai Government and financial assistance of the Austrialian Government.

     This project was to study and assess the environmental impacts of the Golok River Mouth Improvement works.