Safe swim zones set up off Phuket after Chinese tourist death

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Safe swim zones set up off Phuket after Chinese tourist death

Chanida Summast

PHUKET: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has started installing safe swim zones and moving large buoys from protected areas at the Koh Khai islands off Phuket to better protect the reefs from the hordes of tourists that visit the popular sites.

DMCR officers began moving buoys at Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nui and Koh Khai Nai, all a handful of kilometres off Phuket’s east coast, yesterday (July 14).

“Today (July 15), we started moving the big buoys that fishing and large tour boats use because they were too close to shore and inside the swimming zone,” said DMCR Phuket Director Suchart Rattanareangsri.

At low tides, the bottom of large boats hit the shallow reefs, said Mr Suchart. “Also, some captains were dropping their anchors in the area, which was also causing damage to the reefs,” he said.

DMCR officers are also installing more buoys for smaller boats to use, Mr Suchart said.

“We have started installing more smaller buoys at Koh Khai Nok first, and we hope to finish there by next week,” he said.

“The buoys are outside the safe swimming zone so boat captains can safely drop off and pick up their guests,” explained Mr Suchart.

“We do not allow boats and jet-skis to come inside the safe zone for tourists’ safety and also to protect our reefs,” he added.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/safe-swim-zones-set-up-off-phuket-after-chinese-tourist-death-58275.php#4WjKBYQCfhcWf0iU.97

-- Phuket News 2016-07-16

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