PHUKET: An underwater sea-walking company has been accused of paying Phuket's sea gypsies to destroy coral reefs near a holidaymaker atoll off Phuket.
The alarming accusation comes from an expert, marine biologist Dr Nalinee Thongtham, of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre.
Dr Nalinee is shocked by what she has seen diving this weekend and today at a local Phuket fresh food market, where coral reef fish, crabs and other creatures were openly on sale.
She is calling on Phuket's administrators, the media, residents, dive companies and tourists to save the reefs and reef creatures before its too late.
What spurred Dr Nalinee into a public call for action was the sight of a coral reef off Khai Nai island, close to Phuket, just a couple of days ago.
''The destruction is alarming,'' she said. ''Far from deterioration caused by the wrong kind of diving, a company that offers 'sea walking' adventures has paid sea gypsies to remove a large area of coral reef.''
She said about 300 square metres of a reef had been destroyed.
Dr Nalinee has since talked to police at length about the issue but fears the officers may not be able to take appropriate action, hence her call today for people to react.
Her distressing dive was followed this morning by a visit to a local fresh market in the southern Phuket destination of Rawai where she found coral reef fish, crabs, lobsters and undersized shellfish for sale.
''Phuket's future depends on the maintenance of its natural attributes,'' she said. ''I have been shocked by what I have seen and heard in the past couple of days.
''If this kind of mass destruction is allowed to continue, I hold little hope for Phuket's future as a diving destination.''
While the national government in Bangkok has called for Phuket to be a ''natural paradise'' and attract up-market customers, the drive to take quick profits today - and every day - encourages destructive abuses.
Hordes of mostly Chinese and Korean tourists seek lifestyle underwater adventures without the time or the money to learn to scuba dive or even to swim.
Phuketwan has visited some of the day-trip atolls off Phuket popular with Asian visitors and seen the destructive way these tours are handled.
Restaurants on some of the islands continue to grow larger and the beaches and the reefs have no respite from a daily invasion of hundreds of tourists who are mostly ignorant about damage to the environment.
Phuket's beaches are losing their appeal because of commercial greed. Phuket's beautiful natural coral reefs are disappearing even faster.
Jason Tellier sure... most of Thailand's natural assets(beauty) are being sacrificed for cash. Example: letting farang and Thai alike throw garbage(cigarette,bottles,plastic bags) all over the beach just because he will come and spend money there... And another problem is plastic .. How many plastic bags,straws,spoons and forks are consumed in Thailand? Answer: way too many... you don't need all of that extra stuff every time you go to 7-11.. start refusing it or make a law about the use of plastic like Makati City in the Philippines...
Richie Gunn smoking on the beach and glass is banned on White Beach in Boracay which is a great idea even for a smoker and drinker like me im cool with it
Jason Tellier That's exactly what i'm talking about.. Then the beach will stay beautiful longer .. in turn producing more profit in the long term instead of trading it in for quick cash.
The alarming accusation comes from an expert, marine biologist Dr Nalinee Thongtham, of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre.
Dr Nalinee is shocked by what she has seen diving this weekend and today at a local Phuket fresh food market, where coral reef fish, crabs and other creatures were openly on sale.
She is calling on Phuket's administrators, the media, residents, dive companies and tourists to save the reefs and reef creatures before its too late.
What spurred Dr Nalinee into a public call for action was the sight of a coral reef off Khai Nai island, close to Phuket, just a couple of days ago.
''The destruction is alarming,'' she said. ''Far from deterioration caused by the wrong kind of diving, a company that offers 'sea walking' adventures has paid sea gypsies to remove a large area of coral reef.''
She said about 300 square metres of a reef had been destroyed.
Dr Nalinee has since talked to police at length about the issue but fears the officers may not be able to take appropriate action, hence her call today for people to react.
Her distressing dive was followed this morning by a visit to a local fresh market in the southern Phuket destination of Rawai where she found coral reef fish, crabs, lobsters and undersized shellfish for sale.
''Phuket's future depends on the maintenance of its natural attributes,'' she said. ''I have been shocked by what I have seen and heard in the past couple of days.
''If this kind of mass destruction is allowed to continue, I hold little hope for Phuket's future as a diving destination.''
While the national government in Bangkok has called for Phuket to be a ''natural paradise'' and attract up-market customers, the drive to take quick profits today - and every day - encourages destructive abuses.
Hordes of mostly Chinese and Korean tourists seek lifestyle underwater adventures without the time or the money to learn to scuba dive or even to swim.
Phuketwan has visited some of the day-trip atolls off Phuket popular with Asian visitors and seen the destructive way these tours are handled.
Restaurants on some of the islands continue to grow larger and the beaches and the reefs have no respite from a daily invasion of hundreds of tourists who are mostly ignorant about damage to the environment.
Phuket's beaches are losing their appeal because of commercial greed. Phuket's beautiful natural coral reefs are disappearing even faster.
From Phuketwan on Facebook
Jason Tellier sure... most of Thailand's natural assets(beauty) are being sacrificed for cash. Example: letting farang and Thai alike throw garbage(cigarette,bottles,plastic bags) all over the beach just because he will come and spend money there... And another problem is plastic .. How many plastic bags,straws,spoons and forks are consumed in Thailand? Answer: way too many... you don't need all of that extra stuff every time you go to 7-11.. start refusing it or make a law about the use of plastic like Makati City in the Philippines...
Richie Gunn smoking on the beach and glass is banned on White Beach in Boracay which is a great idea even for a smoker and drinker like me im cool with it
Jason Tellier That's exactly what i'm talking about.. Then the beach will stay beautiful longer .. in turn producing more profit in the long term instead of trading it in for quick cash.
Do something quickly, it's your future which is on the line
Posted by Hans Kjaer on March 24, 2013 22:44