Try dive boats leave Phi-Phi islands after they were warned

KRABI: Five try dive boats which have provided try diving services to tourists at the Phi-Phi islands for three consecutive years have left the islands on Friday after they were threatened with legal actions.

Mr Sravuth Tanthien, chief of Nopparatthara and Phi-Phi Islands marine park in Krabi province, said that the five dive boats had anchored in front of Ton Sai bay for three years as they provided try diving to tourists but, on Friday, they lifted their anchors and left the islands.

The forced departure of the try dive boats followed an inspection to the islands by a team of officials led by Dr Thorn Thamrongnavaswasdi, a marine scientist. The team found out that the dive boats were responsible for extensive damage of coral reefs in the sea around the islands.

Mr Sravuth said he would seek a budget from the marine and coastal resources department to erect more buoys around the islands so that tourist boats need not have to drop anchors into the seabed – a practice which contributes to the destruction of coral reefs.

He warned that any try dive boats which return to the islands will face tough legal actions.

Meanwhile Ms Nalinee Thongthaem, a fishery expert, said that a zoning should be imposed in the sea around the islands for different activities such as such as swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving.

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/try-dive-boats-leave-phi-phi-islands-after-they-were-warned

-- Thai PBS 2015-11-07

So it has taken three years, and lots of brown envelopes!

What is a 'try' dive boat? Never heard the term.

What is a 'try' dive boat? Never heard the term.[/

So it has taken three years, and lots of brown envelopes!

So are you suggesting the boat operators stopped the brown envelopes because they were sent packing? Maybe it's just that things are changing and seeing they've been detrimental to the enviroment over time that they got they flick. Why is it, regardless of what happens, good or bad, that someone always perceives that people in authority in Thailand are on the take. I would think that there are as many honest people as there is corrupt in authority and the good ones are trying their hardest to reverse what has been going on for ages. I doubt if I will see it in my life time, but at least it is starting.

What is a 'try' dive boat? Never heard the term.

Yeah, took me a moment to figure out as well.

I think as in ... hey, wanna' try diving? ... would be my guess

Try diving, like 'trying to dive' ( DSD's ) Discover scuba diving. Not hard to figure out what that is I guess...

Good they have left, if they were anchoring on the reef ( or what's left of it ) on Phi Phi

What is a 'try' dive boat? Never heard the term.[/

its what you use if you want to scuba dive without the expense and trouble of learning how to do so safely.