More tourist hotspots close as Thailand addresses environmental concerns

[webfact]

More tourist hotspots close as Thailand addresses environmental concerns
By Gavin Haines

LONDON: -- Thai officials have banned holidaymakers from visiting parts of three popular islands, as they review the impact tourism is having on the local ecology.

The waters off Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nui and Koh Khai Nai are renowned for their colourful coral displays and are popular with day-trippers from nearby Phuket, but the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) claims that up to 80 per cent of reefs there have been degraded and has decided to ban tourists from visiting them.

“A tremendous amount of corals have been damaged and getting them to recover is very difficult,” DMCR regional chief, Watcharin Na, told the Bangkok Post.

Coral reefs around the world have suffered from a mass coral bleaching event this year, caused by a combination of El Nino – a naturally occurring weather pattern – and rising temperatures due to global warming.

Full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/thailand/articles/thailand-bans-tourists-from-three-more-islands/

-- The Telegraph 2016-05-27

[coma]

Good to see Thailand realizing there is more to this world than exploiting it for the foreigner dollar. Let's hope they continue down this path. And many other countries around the world could follow suit.

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

[Thailand]

Sounds admirable.Or perhaps simply not enough tourists and the money behind the "attractions" is pulling out?

[stevenl]

Sounds admirable.Or perhaps simply not enough tourists and the money behind the "attractions" is pulling out?

Just admirable, your suggestion is not correct.

[overherebc]

Good to see Thailand realizing there is more to this world than exploiting it for the foreigner dollar. Let's hope they continue down this path. And many other countries around the world could follow suit.

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

Don't know if the coral can feed on plastic bags, used condoms and raw sewage. If so might be a good idea.

[tuanku]

Good to see Thailand realizing there is more to this world than exploiting it for the foreigner dollar. Let's hope they continue down this path. And many other countries around the world could follow suit.

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

Some quite good coral in that general area, (I am thinking up to 15 miles West and South of Pattaya bay) but the water quality is poor with low visibility and lots of plastic etc. Also the amount of fish life is limited by intensive fishing with nets, line and spear.

[chainarong]

This administration swings from one issue to another and nothing is consistent, only a few weeks back the unelected P.M. was telling everyone who would listen that mining and factories were out of bounds and basically instructing fast track environmental approvals, now this , if Thailand was a race horse the stewards would demand a swab.................................... .

[eliotness]

A move in the right direction, but in reality it's just a sticking plaster on the huge open wound of environmental pollution in SE Asia.

[Khun Paul]

SO instead of putting in place strong enforcement to protect but maintain the availability of the areas named, they shut it to the public , so those there lose their living. Completely illogical and I bet it will still be damaged only this time there will be no-one to see it

[wabothai]

For once i applaud Thai government action.

[cumgranosalum]

To interpret this as a "good thing" is incredibly naive.

The history is that bedazzled by the tourist dollar, the tourism industry in Thailand has been allowed to expand exponentially without planning or infrastructure and ultimately to the detriment - even extermination - of the very natural resources that attracted people in the fist place.

This action is needed but as ever it is very likely to be blunted by Thai ineptitude and corruption. Is it really just another case of Thailand shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted

it also does a lot of people out of their livelihood, which could be avoided if the whole process had been monitored and controlled from the start.

coral bleaching is bad enough when it occurs naturally but when it is exacerbated by unregulated tourism the situation gets critical. some corals can recover quickly, but others don't and the eco-systems can be damaged for ever. This can mean less for tourists to se and also less fish in the oceans around to support any fishing industry, in fact it can have a domino effect.

Until Thailand introduces an ecologically responsible program to conserve their natural resources the gradual degradation will continue - not just on these islands, but all over Thailand - in the seas, on the beaches, national parks and wherever.

it won't be long before they start losing trade to competitors who have better products on offer......

[oldsailor35]

Good to see Thailand realizing there is more to this world than exploiting it for the foreigner dollar. Let's hope they continue down this path. And many other countries around the world could follow suit.

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

"Many other countries around the world could follow suit" Just how naive can you be. Thailand is 'light years' behind the rest of the world in this field. If you want to see a country setting examples on this subject, go look at Australia. If one was caught taking the tiny fish and shell fish that Thais collect in Australia, they would either face heavy fines or go to jail.

[cloudhopper]

Far too late, there is nothing but rubble around those 3 islands. They have already been completely destroyed.

[coma]

Good to see Thailand realizing there is more to this world than exploiting it for the foreigner dollar. Let's hope they continue down this path. And many other countries around the world could follow suit.

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

"Many other countries around the world could follow suit" Just how naive can you be. Thailand is 'light years' behind the rest of the world in this field. If you want to see a country setting examples on this subject, go look at Australia. If one was caught taking the tiny fish and shell fish that Thais collect in Australia, they would either face heavy fines or go to jail.

I hear you but they are far from perfect themselves ........... Last year

Oil has been located in the water south of Townsville, Queensland Transport has confirmed.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/reef-oil-spill-oil-spill-off-great-barrier-reef-20150717-gietfh.html

Then.........

In 2010 a Chinese bulk coal carrier, the Shen Neng 1, ran aground on a reef off central Queensland after veering more than 10 kilometres outside the shipping lane.

It also carved a three-kilometre-long, 400,000-square-metre scar in and around Douglas Shoal, the largest known damage to the Great Barrier Reef caused by a ship.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Great_Barrier_Reef_oil_spill

[cumgranosalum]

Good to see Thailand realizing there is more to this world than exploiting it for the foreigner dollar. Let's hope they continue down this path. And many other countries around the world could follow suit.

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

"Many other countries around the world could follow suit" Just how naive can you be. Thailand is 'light years' behind the rest of the world in this field. If you want to see a country setting examples on this subject, go look at Australia. If one was caught taking the tiny fish and shell fish that Thais collect in Australia, they would either face heavy fines or go to jail.

I hear you but they are far from perfect themselves ........... Last year

Oil has been located in the water south of Townsville, Queensland Transport has confirmed.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/reef-oil-spill-oil-spill-off-great-barrier-reef-20150717-gietfh.html

Then.........

In 2010 a Chinese bulk coal carrier, the Shen Neng 1, ran aground on a reef off central Queensland after veering more than 10 kilometres outside the shipping lane.

It also carved a three-kilometre-long, 400,000-square-metre scar in and around Douglas Shoal, the largest known damage to the Great Barrier Reef caused by a ship.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Great_Barrier_Reef_oil_spill

This actually supports the idea that the Thailand authorities are "years behind" - the fact is the Australia in particular takes any damage to the reefs and corals VERY SERIOUSLY - they spend large amounts of money every year monitoring, conserving the reefs and their natural resources and even prosecuting those who damage the reefs. They regulate visitors and and have strictly enforced laws to protect these reefs.

attempts to build industrial facilities near the reefs are bet with huge well -organised opposition (only available in a democracy)

So, when damage and disasters actually occur - as it will on a worldwide scale - Australia has sophisticated systems to deal with it and the freedoms to criticise any r that fails to do its job properly.

In similar circumstances, what does Thailand do?.... Sweet FA until it is too late and then the response is ineffectual and badly planned.

[optad]

Divers generally assist maintaining these natural resources with information, and cleaning and removing starfish etc but sadly in Thailand they cannot manage that type of sustainable 'diving' industry. Holus bolus tourism dollar, no quotas on boats/ divers, litter the environment, over populate the sites and walk and anchor on the coral etc...

[NongKhaiKid]

Sounds admirable.Or perhaps simply not enough tourists and the money behind the "attractions" is pulling out?

Just admirable, your suggestion is not correct.

What makes you so sure ?

[stevenl]

Sounds admirable.Or perhaps simply not enough tourists and the money behind the "attractions" is pulling out?

Just admirable, your suggestion is not correct.

What makes you so sure ?

Because I would guess around 200 speedboats or so visit these islands daily. The number of 60 mentioned in the article is way too low. Nearly all daytrips to Phi Phi visit at the end these islands. All structures on the islands are illegal and are all getting demolished.

The operators were warned about this already some time ago but choose to ignore that warning.

Edited May 27, 2016 by stevenl

[stevenl]

Divers generally assist maintaining these natural resources with information, and cleaning and removing starfish etc but sadly in Thailand they cannot manage that type of sustainable 'diving' industry. Holus bolus tourism dollar, no quotas on boats/ divers, litter the environment, over populate the sites and walk and anchor on the coral etc...

No diving done at any of these islands.

[cloudhopper]

Far too late, there is nothing but rubble around those 3 islands. They have already been completely destroyed.

[marko kok prong]

Good to see Thailand realizing there is more to this world than exploiting it for the foreigner dollar. Let's hope they continue down this path. And many other countries around the world could follow suit.

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

"Many other countries around the world could follow suit" Just how naive can you be. Thailand is 'light years' behind the rest of the world in this field. If you want to see a country setting examples on this subject, go look at Australia. If one was caught taking the tiny fish and shell fish that Thais collect in Australia, they would either face heavy fines or go to jail.

I hear you but they are far from perfect themselves ........... Last year

Oil has been located in the water south of Townsville, Queensland Transport has confirmed.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/reef-oil-spill-oil-spill-off-great-barrier-reef-20150717-gietfh.html

Then.........

In 2010 a Chinese bulk coal carrier, the Shen Neng 1, ran aground on a reef off central Queensland after veering more than 10 kilometres outside the shipping lane.

It also carved a three-kilometre-long, 400,000-square-metre scar in and around Douglas Shoal, the largest known damage to the Great Barrier Reef caused by a ship.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Great_Barrier_Reef_oil_spill

This actually supports the idea that the Thailand authorities are "years behind" - the fact is the Australia in particular takes any damage to the reefs and corals VERY SERIOUSLY - they spend large amounts of money every year monitoring, conserving the reefs and their natural resources and even prosecuting those who damage the reefs. They regulate visitors and and have strictly enforced laws to protect these reefs.

attempts to build industrial facilities near the reefs are bet with huge well -organised opposition (only available in a democracy)

So, when damage and disasters actually occur - as it will on a worldwide scale - Australia has sophisticated systems to deal with it and the freedoms to criticise any r that fails to do its job properly.

In similar circumstances, what does Thailand do?.... Sweet FA until it is too late and then the response is ineffectual and badly planned.

Why then did Australia demand all references to the barrier reef and the huge stress it is under,be dropped from the unesco report,97 % of reef bleached,areas where half the coral is dead,huge problems with fertiliser runoff from the mainland leading to acidification of the sea,i will tell you why,because as stated by the Govt "it could harm tourism',so i don't think that your statement holds water[pardon the pun].

[nakhonandy]

This is a problem on many Islands.

OK coral bleaching is natural and nothing can be done about it short term.

Now tourists and operators.

They anchor in the coral, killing it.

Uneducated, poorly informed tourists damage the coral by standing on it, breaking it off for souvenirs etc.

There is no need to anchor in the coral, an option would be to put in mooring buoys so there is no need to anchor, I am sure dive companies would help here. It is done in Pattaya and surrounding area, however the buoys keep getting stolen. The local authorities need to do this as it is unrealistic to expect the dive industry to fund this, which many do.

This is caused by people with no knowledge of, or concern for the environment, education is the key, I won't hold my breath!

The only way to change this is to inform both operators and tourists of environmentally safe practices, dive boats do this.

[Pesche]

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Tourist-arrested-feeding-fish/63952 No comments!!

[dieseldave1951]

they already are, just take a look at most of the tourist areas very thin on the ground is the walking ATMs

and already the vendors of various services, trinklets, tours, hotels,etc etc are thrashing about like fish in a preverbal pond with the water disappearing trying to sell to who ever is left

To late for Thailand's tourist trade, just Chinese tourist packages bought and paid for in china the kind of tourist who never venture out ( so who wins ) i know who loses ????

To interpret this as a "good thing" is incredibly naive.

The history is that bedazzled by the tourist dollar, the tourism industry in Thailand has been allowed to expand exponentially without planning or infrastructure and ultimately to the detriment - even extermination - of the very natural resources that attracted people in the fist place.

This action is needed but as ever it is very likely to be blunted by Thai ineptitude and corruption. Is it really just another case of Thailand shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted

it also does a lot of people out of their livelihood, which could be avoided if the whole process had been monitored and controlled from the start.

coral bleaching is bad enough when it occurs naturally but when it is exacerbated by unregulated tourism the situation gets critical. some corals can recover quickly, but others don't and the eco-systems can be damaged for ever. This can mean less for tourists to se and also less fish in the oceans around to support any fishing industry, in fact it can have a domino effect.

Until Thailand introduces an ecologically responsible program to conserve their natural resources the gradual degradation will continue - not just on these islands, but all over Thailand - in the seas, on the beaches, national parks and wherever.

it won't be long before they start losing trade to competitors who have better products on offer......

[cumgranosalum]

P.S Maybe someone can sneak out and plant a coral reef just off Pattaya beach.

"Many other countries around the world could follow suit" Just how naive can you be. Thailand is 'light years' behind the rest of the world in this field. If you want to see a country setting examples on this subject, go look at Australia. If one was caught taking the tiny fish and shell fish that Thais collect in Australia, they would either face heavy fines or go to jail.

I hear you but they are far from perfect themselves ........... Last year

Oil has been located in the water south of Townsville, Queensland Transport has confirmed.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/reef-oil-spill-oil-spill-off-great-barrier-reef-20150717-gietfh.html

Then.........

In 2010 a Chinese bulk coal carrier, the Shen Neng 1, ran aground on a reef off central Queensland after veering more than 10 kilometres outside the shipping lane.

It also carved a three-kilometre-long, 400,000-square-metre scar in and around Douglas Shoal, the largest known damage to the Great Barrier Reef caused by a ship.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Great_Barrier_Reef_oil_spill

This actually supports the idea that the Thailand authorities are "years behind" - the fact is the Australia in particular takes any damage to the reefs and corals VERY SERIOUSLY - they spend large amounts of money every year monitoring, conserving the reefs and their natural resources and even prosecuting those who damage the reefs. They regulate visitors and and have strictly enforced laws to protect these reefs.

attempts to build industrial facilities near the reefs are bet with huge well -organised opposition (only available in a democracy)

So, when damage and disasters actually occur - as it will on a worldwide scale - Australia has sophisticated systems to deal with it and the freedoms to criticise any r that fails to do its job properly.

In similar circumstances, what does Thailand do?.... Sweet FA until it is too late and then the response is ineffectual and badly planned.

Why then did Australia demand all references to the barrier reef and the huge stress it is under,be dropped from the unesco report,97 % of reef bleached,areas where half the coral is dead,huge problems with fertiliser runoff from the mainland leading to acidification of the sea,i will tell you why,because as stated by the Govt "it could harm tourism',so i don't think that your statement holds water[pardon the pun].

_again you miss the point you are comparing chalk and cheese - - the governments of Australia are elected and change - what you mention was a while back...since then there have been several reports on the Barrier Reef alone - remember we are not talking about one area only - there is also the state government and a plethora of pressure groups and quangos. All the arguments about the health of the barrier reef are based on scientific reports that have been monitoring the reef for decades and still do - largely funded by Universities with either State or Federal money.

NONE of this happens in Thailand ...what is done is achieved on tiny amounts of money and on a minute scale.

As for the UNESCO fiasco, the research is still in progress and it is fairly inevitable that Australia will back down. The current research of which there is a lot - is building up a picture that the Aussie government will not be able to avoid - especially with the publication of this report. Especially on the eve of a national election.......

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/27/revealed-the-report-on-the-great-barrier-reef-that-australia-didnt-want-the-world-to-see

The fact is that none of this public criticism can happen in Thailand especially with a gagged press and article 44 in place.

Thailand in the meantime is trying to bullshit almost every international wildlife and conservation organization in the world to cover up their own far-reaching failings.

So I guess the main difference is that if you protest against environmental damge in Australia, there is a chance you may succeed.

Edited May 27, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[american12bthai]

yeah, coral bleaching is from warm weather........which IDIOT said this?

banning tourist is not thai. exploiting things for tourism is what thailand is about. the real question is..... what are they doing here to ban tourist? fracking? oil rig? since when is the enviroment a concern for any thai official?

[zappalot]

Actually all Thailand should close for tourism for a few years if it wants to recover. Hmmm, not really true. They would need to move out all Thais as well.

We just have been on a small island not far from Phuket. I don't know how many years ago a facts, figures and stats Information was created, but according to it tourists and local population destroyed already 70% of the reefs around the island...

[cumgranosalum]

The point being that if these places had been manaqged properly from the start, there would probably have been no need for the closures, or if they had the local businesses would have been forewarned and prepared...

[gyrosman]

I can support the idea of closing for a while. I would the idea of a glass bottom boat but NO ONE in the water. I observed in 9 years living and working and diving the RED SEA. I arrived and upon diving with fellow Americans they had Hugh CON Shells. I was impressed until I watch take every thing off the reefs, shells, coral, fish. The result was star fish took over the reef and killed more.

I a diver from Puget Sound we have rules. So, the tourist come here and do the same for sovereigns and all of the THAI crap sold.

YES, money but like oil the ocean won't always be healthy too.

[SOTIRIOS]

....to blame tourists is the epitome of irresponsible.....

....no garbage cans.....dumping garbage absolutely everywhere..... styrofoam containers and plastic bags....the order of the day...all for a buck...

...all local phenomena....

....maybe something else going on behind the scenes...'another agenda'...