Thailand bans tourists from three islands in order to preserve the coral reefs

In order to preserve its corals, Thailand has taken a decision to ban tourism on three of its islands - accordingly, shops and restaurants on these islands have been dismantled so that the ban can be imposed effectively. These bans are for the islands of Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nui and Koh Khai Nai. The country's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) have issued the ban orders and it was enforced on May 24.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 25 May 2016.

As a result of the ban, all tourist activity has been banned around the coral reefs near the three islands located off the east coast of Phuket. Facilities and structures built for tourists have been removed, including beach chairs and parasols, and shops and restaurants on the islands have been shut down. Tour operators and guides have been given necessary instructions about the locations of the banned areas.
Moreover, around 40 buoys have been set up to mark these out in the waters and there is a proposal that the local government will police the waters to ensure the bans are fully enforced. Notices will also be posted in several languages to alert visitors of the ban.
On an average, there were at least 60 speedboats that visited the sites daily before the ban. Groups of tourists would spend at least three hours swimming, feeding fish and snorkeling in the water and these activities damages the marine ecosystem, especially on coral reefs.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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