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 from old electric insulators. The authorities placed 200 reefs around Koh Larn, and 100 around Koh Sak. Now a big gang of ornamental fish and baby fish has happily moved in to their new home, according to Kiattisak. He said the reefs were the result of collaboration between the private and public sectors.

Since Thailand’s Covid-19 travel restrictions have been eased, tourism hotspots like Koh Larn have seen a jump in the number of tourists. While an increase in tourism is a goal for Thai officials, there is a constant tension between wanting more wildlife tourists, and preventing damage to wildlife that tourists often bring.

One wildlife hotspot, Maya Bay, closed for 3 years, and saw a return of several plant and animal species that had disappeared due to tourists overrunning the beach and adjacent areas. Before the closure, boats entering the bay, and anchoring, destroyed much of the natural coral.

Another issue for Thailand’s marine life is discarded fishing nets often killing and injuring animals such as dolphins and sea turtles. Last week at an event in Phuket for World Oceans Day, Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Varawut Silpa-archa, listed several threats to the country’s oceans. These included pollution, deteriorating sea water quality, overfishing, and climate change.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News