PHUKET: A team of about 100 volunteers was due to leave Phang Nga, north of Phuket, this evening for two days of environmental improvements before the Similan islands reopen for visitors on November 1.
The volunteers will join park rangers in three teams who will do what they can in two days to make the Similans look appealing: a diving team, a snorkelling team, and a beach cleanup team.
Mana Permpoon, Chief of National Marine Operations Center Division 1, told Phuketwan today that garbage washed onto the beautiful islands comes from other countries as well at Thailand.
''It's a problem for the whole region,'' he said. ''Local authorities on the mainland in Thailand and in other countries don't take proper care. The systems are not good enough.''
The Similans, one of the jewels for Phuket and Phang Nga visitors who come for snorkelling and diving, close between high seasons so the area can regenerate.
The opening each November 1 usually finds the whole area looking delightful. Those who come months later in the season, after large numbers of people have visited, may not find everything quite as wonderful.
But underwater, the sights are spectacular.
''The coral reefs have recovered from the 2004 tsunami and the bleaching of a couple of years ago,'' Khun Mana said.
''Young corals are bursting through. We are also planning to plant trees along the shorefronts to prevent erosion.''
He said that rangers would be tougher this season and fine anyone caught dumping garbage into the ocean. He also advised people against bringing bread to give to the fish.
''The people who supply bread to feed to the fish are not really aware of the need to keep the environment natural,'' he said.
Similan beaches - at least the ones that are popular with tourists - will have lifeguards this season for the first time, with a total of 10 posted.
A 30-foot speedboat will also be on standby for tourism emergencies.
Perhaps the most important change is that the speedboats will no longer be able to reverse back in to anchor on beaches.
''It's all offshore from now on,'' he said. ''We have a buoy system that should save the corals near the beaches from damage.
''We hope this year represents a turning point against the old ways.''
The volunteers will join park rangers in three teams who will do what they can in two days to make the Similans look appealing: a diving team, a snorkelling team, and a beach cleanup team.
Mana Permpoon, Chief of National Marine Operations Center Division 1, told Phuketwan today that garbage washed onto the beautiful islands comes from other countries as well at Thailand.
''It's a problem for the whole region,'' he said. ''Local authorities on the mainland in Thailand and in other countries don't take proper care. The systems are not good enough.''
The Similans, one of the jewels for Phuket and Phang Nga visitors who come for snorkelling and diving, close between high seasons so the area can regenerate.
The opening each November 1 usually finds the whole area looking delightful. Those who come months later in the season, after large numbers of people have visited, may not find everything quite as wonderful.
But underwater, the sights are spectacular.
''The coral reefs have recovered from the 2004 tsunami and the bleaching of a couple of years ago,'' Khun Mana said.
''Young corals are bursting through. We are also planning to plant trees along the shorefronts to prevent erosion.''
He said that rangers would be tougher this season and fine anyone caught dumping garbage into the ocean. He also advised people against bringing bread to give to the fish.
''The people who supply bread to feed to the fish are not really aware of the need to keep the environment natural,'' he said.
Similan beaches - at least the ones that are popular with tourists - will have lifeguards this season for the first time, with a total of 10 posted.
A 30-foot speedboat will also be on standby for tourism emergencies.
Perhaps the most important change is that the speedboats will no longer be able to reverse back in to anchor on beaches.
''It's all offshore from now on,'' he said. ''We have a buoy system that should save the corals near the beaches from damage.
''We hope this year represents a turning point against the old ways.''
Yeah hopefully with this clean ups and others that have opened over the past few days the Similans will be looking spectacular.
Posted by Jamie on October 29, 2012 22:01