Fees may be imposed to reduce tourists to Phi Phi

[Thaivisa News]

Krabi:- Tourists to the beautiful Phi Phi Islands may soon have to pay admission fees.

The fee collection is proposed as a means to limit the number of tourists to the tropical paradises, as overcrowding starts to threaten local environment.

The Phi Phi Islands are parts of the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi province.

The park’s chief Chaiyatat Boonphuphantanti says he is going to propose many measures including admission-fee collection to protect marine resources.

He will have meetings with the several officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation on Wednesday and Thursday.

“On the fee collection, I will propose that a private firm is appointed the collector,” Chaiyatat says.

He speaks up after Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine-science expert and a member of the National Reform Council, has expressed concerns about the growing tourism’s adverse impacts on marine resources.

Thon has seriously called for proper control measures to ensure that tourism activities do not thrive at the expense of the environment.

While Chaiyatat fast pays heed to Thon’s concerns, he is apparently reluctant to welcome an idea of closing down the Phi Phi Islands and letting the places rehabilitate naturally.

“The closure will cause big impacts on the entire tourism sector here from hotels to restaurants and more,” he points out, “Tour operators have usually prepared trip arrangements for their customers no less than six months in advance too”.

So far, Chaiyatat says if academic researches clearly show the Phi Phi Islands must be closed to tourists, his park will oblige.

“But to do that, we need to look at clear-cut information first,” he says.

[Costas2008]

First fees will be imposed, next fees will not be imposed, then again fees will be imposed and now fees may be imposed.

Will you please make up your minds and give us your final decision?

Or this is like everything else in Thailand?

All talk and issuing statements and never any action taken?

[angiolo]

fleas will be imposed lol . well we pay to enter the parks,so why not the small islands. So now Thailand has too many tourists. Well good luck to the Thais, keep your environment happy. Free from mafia scams . The tourists will come back.

[Local Drunk]

Fees are a way of generating income to pay for park services and man-made land regeneration of parks caused by visitors which would probably have never happen had the tourist not been there. If the parks are closed and left to regenerate naturally, then in a few years, perhaps you can have The National Park Service begin take reservations which limits the number of tourists and impose a hefty fee for the privileged of visiting there. All tours there would then have to be conducted by park rangers who know and appreciate the environment.

[LuckyLew]

IMO nothing will be done, the tourist income is too much for Thais to say no too

In 5-10 years they wil wonder why phi phi is turning into a dump like samui

Lack of ability or willingness to conserve and preserve is mind boggling

[moonseeker]

What is there beautiful on Phi Phi??? A complete disaster. Stopped by on a yacht a few months back and we left within minutes. This includes every single accessible beach nearby. Packed with small speedboats to extra large ferries bringing day tourists of the worst kind. Garabge allover the place & sea. Cheap souvenir shops and rubbish markets as allover Thailand. Well done Thailand! MS.

[61guitarman61]

Fees are a way of generating income to pay for park services and man-made land regeneration of parks caused by visitors which would probably have never happen had the tourist not been there. If the parks are closed and left to regenerate naturally, then in a few years, perhaps you can have The National Park Service begin take reservations which limits the number of tourists and impose a hefty fee for the privileged of visiting there. All tours there would then have to be conducted by park rangers who know and appreciate the environment.

You give Thais a lot of credit, almost as if they have common sense rationale. Most are stupid, corrupt, and inept at most everything of a critical nature. They shoot the good tourists in the foot. They shoot themselves in the foot.And they don't enforce the statutes and laws that they have passed.