Similian National Park to protect swimmers from speedboats

Phuket Gazette

Similian island vista. Photo: Mathias Krumbholz

PHUKET: -- The Similan National Park chief vowed to establish zones to protect swimmers from speedboats* as the park prepares for opening day on November 1.

The swimmers will be separated from those playing on speedboats by buoys.

This will prevent swimmers and snorkellers from being hit by speedboats. We want to ensure that all visitors feel safe, and can fully enjoy their visit to the park, Seafarer Divers Administrative Manager Prapai Lidureau told the Phuket Gazette.

Another measure to be implemented at the national park this year is a limitation on the number of food vendors on the islands in order to curtail refuse and protect the park's almost-pristine environment.

We will be able to keep beaches clean, since tourists will finish eating in our restaurants and therefore leave garbage inside the restaurant. This will greatly reduce the amount of litter on the beaches.

Moreover, the national park will also earn additional revenue from the tourists, which is good because the money will be used to maintain and develop the park.

The two new measures to be implemented were the outcome of a meeting yesterday that involved representatives from the diving industry and tour guide companies.

The meeting was hosted by Similan National Park Chief Mana Phermpool and his staff.

* The original report mistakenly identified that jet-skis were operated within the Similan National Park. The error is regretted.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Similian-National-Park-to-protect-swimmers-from-jet-skiers-22348.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-26

We urgently need the same at Raya Yai. Speed boats regularly come with-in a few meters of my diver down float. The other day I saw a Chinese unknowingly swim a few meters in front of a moored charter fishing boat just as the captain decided to cast off the mooring lines and went under power without checking if anyone was in the water under the bow. Luckily the snorkeler noticed and swam for his life to keep the boat from running him over. At the time I was sure I was about to see a man be killed. It was very very close.