Millions of Krabi crabs to host eco-tourists

PHUKET: Krabi officials are moving to create a new eco-tourism destination out of a Krabi tidal plane that millions of tiny orange-clawed crabs call home.

Locals were amazed to see a horde of crabs suddenly appear and migrate across the sands of Ao Tang Len at low tide, prompting them to notify Ao Luek district officials last week.

“The stretch of sand at low tide is about 1 kilometer long and 30 meters wide. We saw millions of crabs in that stretch. They are tiny, about 1 centimeter long, with gray bodies and orange claws,” said Ao Leuk District Chief Boonpas Raknuy, following his inspection of the site on Thursday. “As we started to walk on the sand, the crabs sped away to hide in their holes. It was an amazing thing to see.”

Mr Boonpas has requested that the local people help to protect and conserve the area so that the crabs and the natural environment can remain unharmed.

“The beauty of Ao Tang Len is unmatched by other attractions in Krabi. After I saw the crabs in action, I immediately wanted to develop the area as an eco-tourism destination, but also to preserve it as part of ‘Unseen Thailand’,” Mr Boonpas said.

Unseen Thailand is a Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) campaign designed to promote the domestic tourism market.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong