Maya Bay to remain closed for 4-5 years

[PeteC]

The Maya Bay beach, which has been closed to the public since last year to allow coral restoration and beach recovery, would remain closed to visitors for another 4-5 years until its ecology had fully recovered, the head of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Woraphot Lomlim, said.

After 10 months of being closed, nature is slowly rehabilitating itself, Woraphot said, citing the return of reef sharks and ghost crabs to the area while the 23,000 pieces of coral that were planted were growing.

The bay with sugary-white beach and beautiful coral reef -- located in the Phi Phi islands between Krabi and Phuket -- was made famous by the 2000 Hollywood film “The Beach” starring Leonardo Di Caprio, but was battered by the year-round tourist traffic.

During peak times, Maya Bay reportedly received as many as 5,000 visitors a day. As the nature and ecology there were in a critical condition, the authority announced the closure of Maya Bay to tourists in last June, initially for six months but that was extended indefinitely.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... l/30367887

[Lost]

Well played Thailand. This is a very significant decision. I can't imagine another country closing an area (so lucrative) for 4-5 years to let it heal.

Has there ever been such a long closure of an area before?

[PeteC]

Yet another problem area. The way forward in my mind is to establish a booking system with limited access to all of these at risk locations, and charge a huge fee to visit. If that sounds elitist, so be it. It's the only way to get rid of what I call the checklist tourists who trample these places... "check, been there done that, here's my selfie"....


Tourist influx blamed for widespread reef damage

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... eef-damage