Worapot Lomlim, chief of the Hat Nopparatthara-Phi-Phi Islands national park has confirmed that he might keep Maya Bay closed for up to five years to allow the current recovery to continue.

The Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has agreed to extend the closure of Ao Maya, or Maya Bay, located on one of the Phi Phi islands between Krabi and Phuket, for another six month period after an initial 10 month closure to allow nature to regenerate the ecosystem.

The Chief reports that the local ecological systems of Maya Bay, degraded by years of accelerating tourist traffic, has steadily improved during the current closure. Up to 5,000 tourists a day were visiting Maya Bay at its peak before authorities weighed up the pressures of the conservationists and tour operators and decided it was best to close the popular tourist attraction for an extended period

He cited the frequent sightings of blacktip reef sharks near the beach and the gradual growth of some 23,000 corals farmed at a coral centre in Trang province, which were planted in the Bay with the help of volunteer divers.

After the next six-month extended closure, Khon Worapot indicated that the department will consider extending the closure for an even longer period, up to 4-5 years, to allow full rehabilitation of the environment and the ecological system.

Maya Bay was closed to all tourist access on June 1, 2018.

Up to 5,000 tourists a day were visiting the Bay at its peak

PHOTO: ejan.co

A man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a British tourist on Koh Phi Phi.

Police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen says that the Thai suspect’s name is Trairat Changsanan, a local ferry worker who was arrested yesterday.

He has been accused of sexually assaulting the 21 year old British tourist on Koh Phi Phi Don on April 15. She was travelling around Koh Phi Phi Don alone.

According to police reports, the British tourist, named as ‘Megan Penny’ met with an Irish male tourist and ended up drunk falling asleep on the floor of a local restaurant near their accomodation.

The suspect saw the female tourist, used a cutting tool to cut the her jean-shorts and removed her bikini. He allegedly sexually assaulted her and asked her to have sex with him. She pushed him away from her before she reported the incident to police.

SOURCE: ejan.co

Maya Bay’s beach, closed last year to allow coral restoration and beach recovery, could remain closed to visitors for many years. Maya Bay is located in the Phi Phi islands between Krabi and Phuket.

The famous Koh Phi Phi Ley beach needs time for its ecology to fully recover years of tourist abuse, this according to the Phi Phi national park chief Vorapot Lomlim as reported in Khaosod English.

“Maya Bay must continue to be closed until nature has fully recovered. We expect it will take four to five years.”

“Since Maya was closed off nearly a year ago, sea creatures like reef sharks and ghost crabs have returned to the island.”

Initially the national park chiefs closed off Maya Bay access for a period of three months  but it soon became apparent that the fragile bay was going to need a lot longer to recover. Officials reported that up to 50 percent of the Bay’s coral was dead.

SOURCE: Khaosod English