Sea walking tours under scrutiny to help minimize environmental impact

[snoop1130]

 

CHON BURI (NNT) - Following the prosecution of tourists and sea walking tour operators found hand-picking coral and touching marine animals, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, as well as related agencies are now discussing ways to allow these tours to operate while preventing damage to under water resources. The Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment has urged all sides to see marine resources as more important than tourism revenue.

 

The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) is now discussing with Chon Buri Province and Pattaya City the establishment of regulations and operational standards to be observed by marine tours, including sea walking tours which have been in the news recently.

 

The DMCR earlier pressed charges against tourists and the operator of a sea walking tour in Pattaya, following social media posts showing the tourists picking up coral and sea animals by hand, prompting concerns about damage to the underwater ecosystem.

 

The Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Varawut Silpa-archa said today the new regulations would include new rules affecting tour operators and tour guide license issuance, while stressing the loss of coral and marine animals is not worth the revenue from these tours.

 

He urged local authorities to carefully plan their tourism policy, with natural resource conservation being an important priority.

 

New regulation of these tours may include a limit on the number of tourists per trip; a permitted duration of sea walking activities, and a seasonal ban on the activity to allow marine resources to recover, along with more frequent patrols of the area.

 

Recent underwater exploration of the sea-bed walking sites shows coral reefs are still in good condition, however the activity could be banned altogether if it is proven to be damaging resources.

 

The DMCR’s Director General Sopon Thongdee said today that the DMCR is now working with related agencies to urgently establish regulations for sea walking tours. So far, the department has reached out to diving tour operators to promote a correct understanding of underwater resource protection.

 

Mr Sopon has asked for cooperation from the public, asking visitors to report violations of the marine resources protection law to the DMCR immediately.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-04-06

 

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[YetAnother]

3 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment has urged all sides to see marine resources as more important than tourism revenue.

he is perhaps a minority of a very few on this (pity) ; minister of tourism, tour industry, thai money greed...; quite the uphill battle

[asiasurfer]

Environment more important than money?? 

 

Mm, yea. But only until these Chinese hoards come back. 

[Tropicalevo]

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

marine resources as more important than tourism revenue.

Please also tell the fishermen.

[richard_smith237]

I’m not disagreeing with the response here... but it always surprises me how juxtaposed Thailand's ‘official’ response to such simple ventures is when the effluence of industry and political corruption would obscure these very ventures facing criticism and place them within a dash of obscurity on anyones ’spectrum’ when evaluating a bigger picture....  Steps in the right direction, ok, but the elephant in the room is rogering the hypocrites.

 

 

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment has urged all sides to see marine resources as more important than tourism revenue.

Good luck with that one.

[PETERTHEEATER]

 JC is qualified to instruct in the technique  of walking on water. Can he get a Work Permit?

[Freigeist365]

There's only one way to save the reefs: BAN ALL SEA WALKING for infinity WORLDWIDE!!!!

People who are too uncomfortable in the water to truly SCUBA dive (PLUS who don't have the time, common sense, skill and patience to successfully master a complete SCUBA course, learn proper buoyancy control, safety techniques, etc.) or who'd find that "just snorkelling" is not good enough for them, should simply NOT be taken under water with whatever kind of shortcut modified Tin-Tin fish bowl equipment enabling the greedy tour operator to submerge the narrow minded.

Why not take those people on solar powered electrical submarine trips instead? What in hell could be the reason to allow irresponsible city dwellers who mostly can't even swim to stumble around on or near reefs, killing the coral polyps with tons of stirred up silt and/or breaking them by stepping onto them, touching them or accidentally stumbling and falling onto coral??? Do I hear the word "money"??? 1.500 THB per pop won't bring a whole coral reef back to life, folks!!!!

And... don't get me started on Thailand's fishing Mafi... ahemm, sorry "industry"... There's so much more to do here to save Thailand's reefs and under water eco systems, but instead of igniting proper legal action against the true perpetrators, all we see is irrational official knee jerk reactions that hurt the scuba diving industry only - the ones in this whole charade who care the most about aquatic life and preservation.

Have to go and throw up now, sorry...

Happy Reef walking then, everyone!!!

Edited April 7, 2021 by Freigeist365

[Surelynot]

Sea walking tours under scrutiny to help maximize back-handers

Edited April 7, 2021 by Surelynot