What to do about too many "ignorant" foreign tourists spoiling Thailand's marine life?

 

File photo

 

Thai Channel 7 reported on the issue of too many foreign tourists that are visiting marine national parks and what should be done about it.

 

Excessive tourism is damaging coral and marine life and emergency meetings have been held to address the problems, they said.

 

It was reported that 8 million foreign tourists and 900,000 Thais were visiting just 7 marine national parks alone in Phuket, Pangnga and Krabi each year.

 

Much of the damage occurred due to too many boats mooring in one location at one time, an inability to cope with waste water and ignorance of the tourists in understanding environmental protection matters.

 

A meeting suggested the following short and long term measures:

 

* An E-ticket system of advance booking so that visits could be spread out

 

* A ban on visits to just one place - visits should be spread out to several islands and beaches so that all could take the strain

 

* Better daily scheduling of visits to places so that overcrowding is limited

 

* Operators and guides should train the tourists in appropriate behavior when down at the beach or snorkeling

 

* Closure of certain areas at certain times of the year to help the environment recover.

 

Channel 7 said that their "Green Report" would be an ongoing campaign.

 

Source: Channel 7

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-02-09

Perhaps the first step would be to restrain the ignorant indigenous tour operators from encouraging/selling activities which damage the environment?

How do the "ignorant foreign" tourists, and informed Thai tourists get to these places if not with the assistance of Thai tourist operators? 

 

Maybe, just maybe the emphasis is on the wrong part of the equation.

Although tourism inevitably has an impact, my experience, as a long time diver in this country who sees the reefs up close, is that by far the greatest damage has been caused by illegal fishing. In ten years I have seen large fish virtually disappear from some reefs. 

Yeah....but....everybody wants to visit Amazing Thailand!

I had a similar problem recently. I was hosting house parties and charging people an entry fee. Bloody idiots kept getting damaging stuff. 

 

I want to keep making my cut but don't wanna deal with the effects. How do you have your cake and eat it? 

Problem: Too many tourists

Solution: Limit the numbers of tourists

THAI solution: Charge more!

 

What problem?

Years ago, I found a nice little area to snorkle, NE corner of Ko Pang Gnan.  While I was there, a small small fishing boat came along, dropped anchor on coral, and dropped a wide net.  They were probably looking to catch the few remaining colorful fish - for eating or aquariums?  

 

Also, while strolling along Thai beaches, I've seen lots of trash.  Every meter, there's something.  I've even seen discarded/broken bulbs from squid boats. One beach had a half billion chunks of broken bottles.  

 

Tourist do some dumb stuff, but the lion's share of damage/pollution is done by locals.

 

It's what you don't see which is most insidious.  Chemicals, pathogens and plastic goop are creating havoc in seas.

 

I love the file photo. An article complaining about tourists and show 2 boats 3 levels high full to over flowing with tourists.  If the Thai's did not transport the people to these sights there would be no people there simple as that . Tourists do not bring their private boat with them on a holiday.

37 minutes ago, JAG said:

Perhaps the first step would be to restrain the ignorant indigenous tour operators from encouraging/selling activities which damage the environment?

Exactly...who transports them there...but hey ho, lets blame Johnny Foreigner.

Classic Thai news right there. 'ignorant' foreigners!!??

 

No, it is the ignorant tour operators (who will be local) and ignorant fishing vessels (also most likely local and many doing so illegally) that are causing most of the damage to the corals. 

 

Absolute load of nonsense. 

Yaaaaaaawn....what's new?

It's always someones else' fault, never the Thai's!

 

Have some sensible policies about your National Parks, limit the numbers of boats going there, DO NOT take bribes to let more in and enforce the sensible laws and policies made!

 

...but I forget where I am...again!

So OF COURSE it's the tourists fault!

They also throw tons of rubbish into the klongs!

Coral reef damaged by dynamite fishing has not recovered in 20 years, Similan Islands, Thailand

 

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/coral-reef-damaged-by-dynamite-fishing-has-high-res-stock-photography/73788109

Edited February 9, 20188 yr by Topdoc

Pesky foreigners, next they’ll be hunting endangered species in wildlife sanctuaries and attempting to bribe officials when caught. 

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

I had a similar problem recently. I was hosting house parties and charging people an entry fee. Bloody idiots kept getting damaging stuff. 

 

I want to keep making my cut but don't wanna deal with the effects. How do you have your cake and eat it? 

Just borrow more cake!

2 hours ago, webfact said:

A meeting suggested the following short and long term measures:

 

* An E-ticket system of advance booking so that visits could be spread out

 

* A ban on visits to just one place - visits should be spread out to several islands and beaches so that all could take the strain

 

* Better daily scheduling of visits to places so that overcrowding is limited

 

* Operators and guides should train the tourists in appropriate behavior when down at the beach or snorkeling

 

* Closure of certain areas at certain times of the year to help the environment recover.

Sarcasm aside (my previous post), that all sounds like a very good strategy. 

 

Now, do it. 

Yeah.. ignorant tourists but ka-ching! ka-ching! ka-ching!

 

 

 

 

Edited February 9, 20188 yr by kotsak

1 hour ago, BobbyL said:

and ignorant fishing vessels

Please explain what you mean because I don't know what an "...ignorant fishing vessel..." is, and I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist.

2 minutes ago, wotsdermatter said:

Please explain what you mean because I don't know what an "...ignorant fishing vessel..." is, and I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist.

 

Neither do I. I must have meant to write 'fishermen'. 

Build some glass-bottom boats.  I jest not.  Many tourists want to see fun stuff underwater, but not all want to take the plunge.  

In reality, Thailand's corals and wildlife (in and out of the seas) is lessening each year.  I looked closely at publicity photos of corals in Thai Tourist brochures, and it looks as though those photos were taken some place far away, like Belize.

 

In Florida, there are dugong (manatee) reserves, and crowds of tourists flock there.   In Thailand, not one.  There are a few dugongs (maybe they swim up from Burma's islands).  If a dugong is spotted near a sea shore village, sometimes villagers charge out to gouge out its eyes.  Part of the very rich Asian hocus pocus lexicon says that manatee eyes are curative ....of something.  Surely, they don't cure cruelty or stupidity.

 

If anyone wants to talk about possibly setting up a reserve to keep the last remaining Thai dugongs from getting killed, feel free to post a message to me.

 

Similarly:  When I visited Sri Lanka, a few years ago, there were many turtle sanctuaries along its coast.  I spoke at length with one fellow who was running one of them.  He had 4 types, from hatchlings on up.  He said normally, seaside villagers will take eggs and eat them.  He offers villagers a better price for eggs, so they bring them to him.

 

Could Thais be half as environmentally conscious as Sri Lankans?  Let's see more animal and environmental husbandry among Thais.  I know it's tough to be a Thai environmental activist, because sometimes they get murdered.  I'm not kidding.  More than a few Thai environmental activists have been murdered, and you get one guess: who's doing it? and another guess: whether cops do any investigating?

 

Answers to questions above:    #1. big shot business people, and #2. No.

Nice scapegoat. Blame the foreigners again. These are national parks and are regulated by THAIS. They are the ones letting in millions of tourists every year - because they are greedy. Just ramp up the park entrance fee to 10K baht. That should cut the numbers considerably! I went once down there. Never again. Waaay too many tourists jammed into small areas. No wonder there are environmental issues. 

 

24 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

 

 

If anyone wants to talk about possibly setting up a reserve to keep the last remaining Thai dugongs from getting killed, feel free to post a message to me.

Contact the National Park in Trang, there is a big area closed for public with Dugongs. The population is growing ,last year over 150 species, News reports about a Dugong in the Andaman Sea are rear, I think because they don't like to leave their protected area.

In several parks there are Turtle programs, where eggs are taken care of and yearly there are release programs with these turtles.

 

 

3 hours ago, ezflip said:

Problem: Too many tourists

Solution: Limit the numbers of tourists

THAI solution: Charge more!

 

What problem?

If you charge more won't that limit the number of tourists?

Just show accurate photos in the tourism brochures, and tourism to Thailand will regulate itself.

Here is what you buy:

 

And here is what you get:

 

Edited February 9, 20188 yr by Xonax

4 hours ago, JAG said:

Perhaps the first step would be to restrain the ignorant indigenous tour operators from encouraging/selling activities which damage the environment?

Exactly, if serious, limit number of passengers on boats & limit number of boats in the locations?? Know, won't happen.... but better policing & prosecutions of tour operators....Hahaha!! 

Maybe worry more about Thais throwing trash in O I forgot Thais don’t do that TIT

Just build a huge seawater pool, dump a load of fish and coral in it and let them dive there so they don't have to go on those very dangerous thai boats.

 

 

I think the tourist areas are more clean than the rest of Thailand...

Thais do not care... So mai bpen rai...

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4 hours ago, JAG said:

Perhaps the first step would be to restrain the ignorant indigenous tour operators from encouraging/selling activities which damage the environment?

Second step would be to restrain the destructive locals in their destructive and ignorant behaviour?

Build a wall!