Confusion reigns ahead of Maya Bay closure, June 1

[webfact]

Confusion reigns ahead of Maya Bay closure, June 1

The Phuket News

 

Maya Bay off Phi Phi Island will be closed to all boats for four months from tomorrow (June 1) through Sept 30. Photo: Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat

 

PHUKET: With Thailand’s renowned Maya Bay off Phi Phi Island, east of Phuket, to close to all boats for four months starting tomorrow (June 1), officials are at a loss of how to enforce the new restricted number of tourists visiting the bay.

 

The decision was made last year to close the bay to all tour boats for four months, from June 1 through Sept 30 this year, so that the local marine ecosystem can recover from the heavy tourism traffic that caused much damage to the iconic coral reefs in the bay.

 

After the bay is re-opened to visitors come Oct 1, there will be a limit of 2,000 visitors to the bay per day. Previously, the number of visitors to the bay was 4,000 to 5,000 per day. 

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/confusion-reigns-ahead-of-maya-bay-closure-june-1-67313.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-06-01

[cornishcarlos]

Mmmmmmm, I guess the speed boats that pay the officials the biggest bung, get to take their clients in..

Never mind the 2000 limit.. 

I wonder how much this will fill certain peoples pockets ??

[bluesofa]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“Right now there is no e-ticket system for anyone to use. Anyone who wants to visit the area can just do it the old way and buy a ticket with a tour company,” Mr Worapoj said today.

“We don’t have an online system for registered tour operators and boat owners. We haven’t got that far yet. Also, I can’t confirm ticket prices or where or how tickets will be available."

 

I bet they're available from any copy shop on Khaosan Road already...

 

[Dap]

Sort the baht, done deal!

[MekkOne]

If they find a boat there they gonna fine the tourists on it, they will never fine or arrest the boat captain.

[Cadbury]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

"....officials are at a loss of how to enforce the new restricted number of tourists visiting the bay.

Typical Thai officialdom's organisational skills coming to the fore. Act first and engage brain later.

[impulse]

Timing seems a little strange, closing the area to tourists right after the kids get out of school for the summer and families start their annual vacations.  May not affect Euro travelers who get enough vacation time to pick and choose, but it sure hits American tourists where they live.

 

Of course, that's only an issue if you want to support family tourism. 

 

The good news- Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, California and Florida are open for business, closer to home, and understand the economics of Spring Break and Summer vacation.

Edited June 2, 2018 by impulse

[fakename]

A perfect example of confusion! Good idea, keeping secrete, the dock project, after its built, will be too late to argue about the cost.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎6‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 9:09 AM, impulse said:

Timing seems a little strange, closing the area to tourists right after the kids get out of school for the summer and families start their annual vacations.  May not affect Euro travelers who get enough vacation time to pick and choose, but it sure hits American tourists where they live.

 

Of course, that's only an issue if you want to support family tourism. 

 

The good news- Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, California and Florida are open for business, closer to home, and understand the economics of Spring Break and Summer vacation.

You seem to think that going to Maya Bay is on a par with visiting the Louvre or something. It used to be a reasonably attractive beach before thousands of people got delivered there, whether they wanted to or not, but there are many such places along Thailand's coastline. The only reason tour boats even started going there was because a movie was filmed there. It wasn't even a very good movie, but the main character despised the sort of person that goes to Maya. Actually, he loathed them. Rather ironic then that the sort of person that Richard despised goes to Maya because of Richard.

I strongly suggest that not being able to go to Maya Bay is not going to dissuade even one person from visiting LOS.

IMO they should do what Duterte did in the Philippines and close it for a year. That way, it might have a chance to recover properly. Four months isn't going to make any difference, but some people will be missing out, so never mind if it just gets ruined all over again.

[thaibeachlovers]

Re the headline, situation normal then!