SEA TURTLES are returning in greater numbers to waters around Phuket.

Navy officials say that a concerted campaign over the past few years to help the animals recover is paying dividends at last.

More turtles are now being spotted in waters around Koh Racha and Koh Lon. A tourist diver even told Phuketwan that he saw one swimming in Patong Bay.

Some released turtles are being fitted with microchips and electronic devices that should enable scientists to track their movements, says Wing Commander Monti Rodwiset, Civilian Director of the Andaman's Third Naval Area Command.

The first year of the lives of turtles is a mystery, although it is known they wander far west across the Indian Ocean and east to the Philippines.

More are returning now by instinct to mate and breed at the marine park on the Similan islands, which is protected by the Royal Thai Navy.

Divers at the Similans report seeing turtles more frequently.

A total of 477 turtles were released yesterday at the Third Naval Area Command at Cape Panwa, where the navy zone includes a beach and a coral reef.

The release market the Queen's Birthday and Mother's Day and attracted scores of children, scouts and groups from Phuket City and surrounding areas, including local residents.

A group of members of the women's auxillary, in olive green uniforms, said a prayer for one little turtle before releasing it. The next wave brought it back, threatening their leather shoes.

One uniformed member took the plunge and sacrificed her shoes to make sure the little turtle had a good start.

Efforts are still being made to educate people about the turtles' fight to survive.

The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, with JW Marriott and Phuket Rajabhat University, conducted a two-day workshop last Thursday and Friday.

Turtles, because of construction and noise, may never return to Phuket to hatch the way they once did in large numbers.

But it seems their thoughtless eradication from the region is being reversed.

The Queen's Birthday was also marked at Saphan Hin yesterday evening with hundreds of schools and organisations represented in a candle-lit ceremony that concluded with a spectacular display of fireworks.


PHUKET is not the only island with a litter problem. On Monday in Britain the BBC screened Panorama: Notes from a Dirty Island.

On the show, noted writer Bill Bryson, an American who chooses to live in Britain, tells his audience: ''It's just not the place that I fell in love with.''

What could have wrought such a drastic change of heart? Litter, says the author of a shelfload of amusing travel books as well as lively tracts on history, science and language.

Britain, Bryson says, is being engulfed by a layer of grubbiness and squalor to which most people are simply turning a blind eye.

In Notes on a Dirty Island, Bryson tries to draw attention to the problem. Perhaps someone should do something on Phuket, too.

Look for every day, Monday to Friday, at Phuketwan. It's essential reading. To tell us your news, email bigislandmedia@gmail.com or telephone 081 6513489.

Latest from Phuketwan:

August 11
Funding for tourism in Thailand is more about take than give, a promising new Andaman destination discovers; Thaksin leaves spare seats for lucky tourists; Firefly soars on turbo; a motto for the masses

Budget Cuts Hurt New Andaman Destination

August 8
A meeting on Racha saves the island's coral, delivering an eight million baht artificial reef, a zoning system to keep divers and fishing trawlers apart, bans aimed at protecting the natural environment, and hope for other endangered reefs and islands.

Money Dispute Brings Change At Chalong Pier

August 7
More Australians than ever are heading overseas, latest statistics reveal. And that's great for Phuket right now; Nok Air returns but Thai budget lines do it tough; Buffalo festival this weekend.

Money Dispute Brings Change At Chalong Pier

August 6
A row about income from fees at Chalong Pier has led to action by the Phuket authority in charge; Coming soon, yet another luxury five-star for Phuket; Guess how many homes are empty in the US?

Money Dispute Brings Change At Chalong Pier

August 5
Phuket resorts now face the nightmare of having group bookings that cannot be confirmed because no seats are available on flights to Phuket. Visitors from China, Taiwan and Singapore are going elsewhere because of the air crisis

Phuket Air Crisis: China, Taiwan Tourists Turned Away

August 4
Low season usually means a relaxed time for island residents. With tourists unable to gain quick flight bookings and supermarket prices going through the roof, this one is a horror story. Which brings us to Zimbabwe.

Phuket Inflation Growing, Flights Hard To Find

August 1
The travel industry has spawned phrases and words that are as confusing as 'friendly fire' is to warfare or 'leader' is to politics. Today we take aim at a couple of popular lies in tourism.

Tourism's Biggest Lies: The Weasels in Wordplay

July 31
Should communities on islands off Phuket benefit from tourism? Certainly they should, say the people of Koh Yao Yai, where change is coming fast; One Two Go, When When When?; Aussies brawl again.

Speedboat Stirs Up Island Independence

July 30
Giving Thai officials the finger on arrival on Phuket and elsewhere will become customary if Cabinet approves a proposal from Thai Immigration officials; Korean honeymooners now have a new honorary consul.

Fingerprinting Urged For International Arrivals in Thailand

Look for every day, Monday to Friday, at Phuketwan. It's essential reading. To tell us your news, email bigislandmedia@gmail.com or telephone 081 6513489.