Thailand's tourism boom damages corals to critical level

 

File photo

 

The famous Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi will be closed for the first time. Coral damage at Thailand's popular holiday destination has reached a critical level due to the booming tourism industry.

 

Seventy-seven per cent of the total of 238.4 square kilometers of coral reefs in all of Thailand's waters has been devastated, according to Thon Thamrongnawasawat, deputy dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University in Bangkok. That figure shows an alarming increase from 30 per cent a decade ago, the prominent marine ecologist said.

 

Thon named polluted water from beach-front hotels as the biggest cause of coral damage. Other factors include plastic rubbish dumped in the sea and physical damage from boat anchors.

 

Full story: http://www.dw.com/en/thailands-tourism-boom-damages-corals-to-critical-level/a-42361812

 

-- DW 2018-01-31

When I read this, I keep thinking of the mayor in the movie Jaws telling the policeman to open the beaches as there is no threat. Beach will be open as soon as it ht the pockets - safeguarding the coral or not.

When i visited maya bay 25 years ago there were no passengerboats AT ALL, even no longtails and also no tourists,

 

Look now, you even can't go in the water to swim.

 

It's all Leonardo's fault! Tar and feather him!

2 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

It's all Leonardo's fault! Tar and feather him!

He's only responsible for Maya Bay ( and a completely changed storyline that ruined the movie ). The OP points out that most of the coral in ALL of Thailand's waters has been destroyed.

However, why would anyone be surprised at that? They have ruined almost all Thai beaches because of greed, so coral is just part of the general destruction of Thailand's coast and fisheries.

4 hours ago, Thian said:

When i visited maya bay 25 years ago there were no passengerboats AT ALL, even no longtails and also no tourists,

 

Look now, you even can't go in the water to swim.

 

While I agree, the blame lies with the Thais that provide the speedboats, the Thais that drop anchors on coral, the Thais that promote the tours, the Thais that allow the tours, the Thais that pipe sewage directly into the sea, and the Thais that throw plastic in the sea.

Can't blame tourists for doing what tourists do.

 

Always amuses me though, when I see tourists like in the photo that only go there because of the "The Beach" movie, when Richard actually despised people like them. I guess they slept through those bits.

Maya Bay, the picturesque main filming location of "The Beach," a Hollywood blockbuster released in 2000, will also be closed for the first time between September and November this year ahead of the high season, national park officials said.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Temporary closures can help to a certain extent. But an ideal solution is a permanent closure, which is not possible due to our reliance on tourism revenue," Thon said.

 

In other words, <deleted> the coral as long as we get the money!

 

I'm not a coral expert, but I think a 3 month closure will not make any difference in recovery.

Doing something about sewage, plastic and permanent anchors would, however, do something, but I'm not holding my breath, as that would entail effort on the part of bureaucrats.

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

While I agree, the blame lies with the Thais that provide the speedboats, the Thais that drop anchors on coral, the Thais that promote the tours, the Thais that allow the tours, the Thais that pipe sewage directly into the sea, and the Thais that throw plastic in the sea.

Can't blame tourists for doing what tourists do.

 

Always amuses me though, when I see tourists like in the photo that only go there because of the "The Beach" movie, when Richard actually despised people like them. I guess they slept through those bits.

This must be an old photo i guess since now there's not even space to put a towell on the sand...

 

 

This is how it looked when i was there, i was the only tourist for many hours.

 

7 hours ago, Thian said:

When i visited maya bay 25 years ago there were no passengerboats AT ALL, even no longtails and also no tourists,

 

Look now, you even can't go in the water to swim.

 

 

 

And you told everyone how great it was?

 

You blabbed and showed them the photos?

 

Like you are now?

 

 

 

 

Edited January 31, 20188 yr by Enoon

23% to go and the crickets can move on to the next country willing to let itself get raped for a few measly $.

It's as if nobody saw it coming.