Search Results for: coral reefs
- Thailand News
Record sea temperatures devastate coral reefs and marine life
Record sea surface temperatures in Thailand’s eastern gulf coast are causing severe damage to the region’s aquatic life, raising concerns among scientists and local communities. Coral reefs that were once vibrant and colourful, situated about 5 metres underwater, have turned white due to coral bleaching. This phenomenon indicates deteriorating health caused by elevated water temperatures. Data reveals that sea surface…
- Thailand News
Parking the problem: Thai national parks close to revive coral reefs
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) implemented indefinite closures at marine attractions in 12 national parks in Thailand to allow coral reefs to recover from bleaching. DNP Director Auttaphon Jaroenchansa told the media yesterday, May 9, that the director in each national park closely monitors the coral bleaching situation to determine the cause and identify recovery…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s coral reefs face grim future due to climate change
Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a veteran marine biologist with almost four decades of experience, is deeply troubled by the disturbing changes occurring in Thailand’s coral reefs He has voiced his shock and dismay at the unusual and alarming characteristics now displayed by the reefs, describing the current conditions as the most severe he has witnessed. Thon, a professor in the Department of…
- Pattaya News
Royal Thai Navy releases artificial coral reefs to boost eco-tourism and marine conservation
The Royal Thai Navy, along with various partners, has celebrated Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s birthday by releasing 69 units of artificial coral reefs on the seabed of Koh Samae San in Sattahip district, Chon Buri province. The occasion was graced by the presence of Gen Surayud Chulanont, President of the Privy Council and Chairman of the Khao Yai Protection Foundation.…
- News
Black wastewater threatens to destroy Patong’s restored coral reefs
By Pratch Rukivanarom Wastewater leaking into Patong Bay could kill recently restored coral reefs in front of the world famous Patong Beach, academics are warning. Wastewater has leaked into the sea and polluted Patong Bay twice this month, harming the health of the reef ecosystem, which mostly comprises soft coral. A team led by Phuket Governor Naraphat Plodthong inspected areas…
- Phuket News
A Decade Ago: Coral reefs and tidal waves of wastewater
PHUKET: As the Phuket Gazette scuba diving columnist for the last four years, I was dumbfounded when I stumbled over the headline screaming from page one of the 2006 March 4-10 issue: HUGE REEF DISCOVERED. A unique swath of biodiversity for Thailand that consumed at least four square kilometers of seabed off Tai Muang in Phang Nga was the biggest…
- Opinion
Opinion: The future of the Andaman’s coral reefs is in the hands of Phuket tourists
PHUKET: A recent comment made by a high-ranking government official that seawalking tourists should be allowed to continue hand-feeding bread crumbs to reef fish is a serious cause for concern. Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office Director Santi Pawai recently went on a fact-finding mission to investigate claims that a marine tourism operator’s seawalker tours off the coast of…
- Phuket News
Thailand’s coral reefs 50% gone: Phuket marine biologist
PHUKET: With coral reef systems in Thai coastal waters at a “crisis” level, the director of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) has vowed to step up his department’s efforts to mitigate the damage caused by the fishing industry and other human factors.“Currently, our natural coral reefs are not half of what they used to be – we are in…
- Phuket News
3D-printed coral islands to rejuvenate Phuket’s degraded reefs
The coastal waters of Racha Yai Island, south of Phuket, are about to witness a groundbreaking ecological restoration project. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) initiated a project to install 88 sets of 3D-printed coral larvae islands at Siam Bay, to restore the severely degraded coral reef in the area. At the helm of this inaugural installation was…
- Environment News
Coral Rehabilitation for Divers Volunteers protects reefs
A new Coral Rehabilitation for a Divers Volunteers training program in Phuket has attracted several foreign divers interested in the restoration project. The course aims to provide participants with knowledge of how to operate procedures in coral rehabilitation following academic principles. The program, created by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has…
- Tourism News
Record sea temperatures leave Thai corals feeling the heat
Sea surface temperatures on Thailand’s eastern gulf coast hit record highs during a regional heatwave, causing significant coral bleaching and threatening the local marine ecosystem. This poses severe risks to tourism and the livelihoods of local communities. Marine biologists and locals are alarmed by the impact of rising sea temperatures on marine life. The vibrant and colourful corals, typically found…
- Thailand News
Coral catastrophe strikes Krabi’s Mu Ko Lanta Marine Park
In a recent survey conducted by park officials, alarming findings have surfaced regarding coral bleaching in the pristine waters of Mu Ko Lanta Marine National Park in Krabi. Officials took the plunge to assess the extent of coral bleaching and gather marine debris littering the seabed. Around Rok Island, a distressing 10 to 15% of corals at depths of 1…
- Phuket News
RTN launches coral reef conservation in the Andaman Sea
The tranquil waves of the Andaman Sea in Phuket were silenced yesterday as Royal Thai Navy Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Adung Phan-iam, took to the podium to announce the start of a new conservation initiative. The project, aimed at repairing and installing mooring buoys, seeks to safeguard the area’s coral reefs, the vibrant yet vulnerable bedrock of the marine ecosystem. The launch…
- Pattaya News
Artificial reefs placed around Pattaya’s Koh Larn and Koh Sak
Thailand’s authorities are building new homes for Pattaya’s marine critters, hoping to boost coastal tourism. Yesterday, government authorities placed 300 sets of artificial reefs around Koh Larn and Koh Sak, 2 small islands off Pattaya. Pattaya’s Deputy Permanent Secretary, Kiattisak Sriwongchai, said the island’s coral reef had been especially damaged by people walking in them. The artificial reefs are made…
- Thailand News
Phuket conservationists butt heads with locals on coral reef
Conservationists are fighting to stop a bay being dredged in Ao Kung in Pa Khlok, on Phuket’s east coast, as they say it will damage nearby coral reefs. A former village headman says the bay needs to be dredged because fishing boats have a hard time getting to the port at low tide. At a meeting with representatives of local…
- Environment News
Coral off Phuket suffering from bleaching
by Thai PBS Corals have started to bleach off the coast of Phuket. The problem is due to the warming of the sea, according to reports from the Phuket-based operations centre of the 2nd National Marine Park. Marine scientists at the centre conducted a survey of coral reefs off Nai Yang beach in the Sirinat national park last Thursday and…
- Phuket News
Coral damage from a sunken fishing boat at Koh Racha Noi – Phuket
PHOTOS: Thon Thamrongnawasawat More than 50 square metres of coral has been damaged after a fishing boat sank at Koh Racha Noi off Phuket. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is reporting that they were notified about a fishing boat the sank at Koh Racha Noi yesterday. The fishing boat had sunk on January 18 after it was battered by…
- Krabi News
Maya Bay coral “far from ready”
by Pratch Rujivanrom The corals at Maya Bay are not strong enough yet to withstand the influx of visitors. This latest from the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department (DNP) explaining reasons for the indefinite closure of the bay. Though the iconic tourist attraction in Krabi’s Had Nopparat Tara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park has been off limits for…
- News
UPDATE: Coral bleaching around Thailand waters
By Pratch Rujivanarom PHOTO: Save Coral Reefs More coral reefs in Thailand’s seas are suffering from mass bleaching as the result of continuous warm seawater. A special task force to tackle coral bleaching has been set up by the Marine Science Association of Thailand to monitor the bleaching problem and suggest mitigating measures. Many reports of coral bleaching have been shared…
- News
Coral bleaching report, “widespread but minor”.
By Pratch Rujivanarom Coral reefs in Thailand are currently facing the onset of widespread but mild coral bleaching, as some reefs in both the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand show symptoms of heat stress. Tourists are meanwhile being encouraged to observe signs of coral bleaching and report them to authorities. Despite around 5 to 10 per cent of corals…
- News
Phuket’s Governor inspects coral area in Paklok – Marina proposed
The issue of potential damage to coral reefs has been raised after local residents near Koh Hei, in the Ao Kung area of Paklok, has been brought up with the Phuket Governor today. Along with conservationists, they worry that there will be damage to the coral if construction of a marina is started along with the dredging of a channel…
- News
Fixing Phuket’s coral. Restoration projects around Phuket
For the past few years the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources – Phuket Office has been working on the construction and installation of artificial reefs around the island. Two main areas have been selected, Koh Racha Yai (Bay3) and Koh Mai Thon. The project consists of placing construction blocks on the seabed in order to provide ‘pads’ on which…
- Phuket News
Officials, volunteers team up to restore damaged coral
PHUKET: More than two dozen officials and volunteers came together to replace broken and damaged coral on Koh Khai Nai and Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga this weekend. A joint task force from the ‘Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation’ (OMCRC) in Phuket and Phang Nga, along with volunteers and representatives from tour companies, undertook the initiative. “Heavy…
- Phuket News
Marine officials return confiscated coral to the ocean
PHUKET: More than 800 kilograms of coral was returned to the ocean this week, officials at Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park have revealed. “This is the amount that was seized from tourists at Krabi International Airport from April 2016 to date,” said Sarayuth Tantian, chief of the park. “This highlights the misconduct of tourists who take coral…
- Phuket News
Korean tourists and dive instructor ‘hunted’ for damaging coral off Phuket
PHUKET: A concerned diver captured pictures of Korean tourists and their Thai dive instructor stepping on coral while diving at Koh Racha Yai yesterday. The diver then shared the snaps with other divers and officials in the hopes of bringing the offenders to justice. A social media user who calls himself ‘Seaman Freeman’ shared the pictures of ‘Try Dive’ activities…
- Phuket News
Phuket marine expert says coral restoration ‘successful’
PHUKET: An expert from the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) has stated that a decades-long coral restoration project at Koh Mai Thon has yielded significant improvements in marine life in the area. More than 30 types of coral were grown when the project was first started in 1994, after a large number of reefs were damaged by a powerful storm…
- Phuket News
Koh Racha receives new buoys, artificial coral
PHUKET: Fifteen new buoys and sets of artificial coral were installed at Koh Racha yesterday, following the allocation and approval of a 300,000 baht budget for environmental preservation by the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Department (DMCR). In recent weeks, Koh Racha has seen a spate of environmental issues, including coral damage (story here), fish feeding and coral theft by…
- Thai Life
Volunteers clean beaches, reefs in honor of HM’s birthday
PHUKET: Though irreparable damage has been done to many of the reef systems along the Andaman, especially those near major tourist destinations such as Phuket, dive sites in the region continue to offer extraordinary experiences to rookie and veteran divers. Within the Phi Phi archipelago, a popular day-trip destination for dive companies out of Phuket, as well as those based…
- Phuket News
Krabi adds buoys to protect corals
KRABI: In an effort to protect marine life, Krabi officials yesterday announced the installation of 16 additional buoys near popular tourist attractions. “The purpose of the buoys is to mark the presence of coral reefs so that ships and boats can avoid anchoring there,” said Sarayuth Tanthien, chief of the Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.…
- Phuket News
Phi Phi management plan tackles anchors on corals, feeding fish
PHUKET: The first step in saving the marine ecosystem within Phi Phi National Park is to put an end to boats dropping anchor on corals and tour operators allowing clients to feed fish (story here), an expert study announced last week. Damage done by the tourism industry was seen at 12 of the 14 marine areas within Hat Noppharat Thara…
