Phuket:- The Phuket Butterfly Garden & Aquarium shut down Tuesday after it has been in operation for 25 years.

The butterfly garden in Tambon Rassada was shut down with a ceremony to release butterflies into the wild at 2:30 pm.

The ceremony was co-chaired by the garden’s managing director, Wasin Koisiripong, and Pongchart Chuahom, chief of the Khao Phra Taew Nature and Wildlife Study Center. Both Thai and foreign tourists and their children took part in releasing the butterflies from the garden.

The garden also allowed visitors to enter the compound free of charge on the last day.

Wasin said the Phuket Butterfly Garden & Aquarium was opened in 1990 with goal as a sightseeing spot in the island province. Later on, the garden was successful in breeding butterflies, the garden had another goal of letting visitors to learn about nature.

She said the garden has been organizing activities to release the bred butterflies into the wild for six consecutive years. The last year saw2,000 butterflies released she said.

She said the garden suffered losses for more than two years because of the decline in western tourists, especially those from Europe and Russia. Moreover, the island now has several other sight-seeing spots.

Wasin said she has discussed with her family for about five to six months before she decided to shut the operation down.

Wasin said she planned to develop four out of seven rai of the gardens’ compound to a comprehensive beauty and health spa and fitness center. The fitness center will teach Muay Thai as well, she added.

She expected to spend about Bt15 million for the new fitness and spa business.

"She expected to spend about Bt15 million for the new fitness and spa business."

What next to all the other fitness and spa business, but that's Phuket and good luck I hope it succeeds.

sorry to read that some quality/interesting thing will be replaced with some nonsense.....

How does a place that sounds that tacky not survive in Thailand's tackiest place?

I liked that place, and so did my kids. Have been several times, sad to see it go.