Chinese tour group apologised after causing harm to Thai marine life

The serene waters of Ao La on Koh Racha Yai, situated south of Phuket, were recently embroiled in controversy when tourists from a Chinese tour company, Jinyang Holiday Group, engaged in activities harmful to marine life and environment. They posed for photos with seemingly innocent starfish in hand and ventured onto delicate coral reefs, drawing the ire of local marine officials.

Yesterday, the top brass of Jinyang Holiday Group made a formal apology for the unsettling incident. Sirikwan Saengravee, the company’s manager, admitted the actions of the tourists were inexcusable considering the fragile status of marine life within the area.

Saroch Ubonsuwan, the director of the Phuket Marine Resources Conservation Center, and Suthep Chualong, head of the Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center, had promptly reported the incident to the Suthep Police. Law enforcement is currently contemplating pressing charges against the culprits.

Officials were first alerted to the incident through a post on the Monsoon Garbage Facebook page, sparking an immediate investigation.

Sirikwan mentioned that it now became imperative for the company to instruct all their dive instructors not to permit tourists to interact physically with corals and marine wildlife. She referred to past instances where Chinese tourists, enticed by the cute creatures, picked them up for photo sessions to share with friends.

“This incident serves as a harsh lesson to us. Jinyang Holiday Group has only been operational for the past two months… Yesterday marked our inaugural trip,” Sirikwan explained.

Representing the company, she expressed their deep regret over the incident, vowing an increased focus on customer behaviour in the future.

“While we acknowledge the adverse image this event has cast on both Chinese and Thai people, it has nonetheless presented us with a valuable lesson. We express our sincerest apologies and wholeheartedly accept all feedback,” Sirikwan said.

Apichai Ekvanakun, the Acting Director-General of Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), advocated for marine officials to institute a thorough investigation into the incident, insisting on “decisive action.”

He pointed out that the challenge of tourists disregarding regulations concerning marine natural resources preservation wasn’t a unique occurrence, particularly when it came to the tourists’ detrimental behaviour.

Apichai stressed the importance of stringent guidelines, which clearly prohibit destructive activities such as picking at or physically dismantling any part of the resources, including corals, sea creatures or animals residing in coral reefs.

“Over time, numerous similar incidents have surfaced. The DMCR has unambiguously demanded stern action in response. Many cases have resulted in legal proceedings,” Apichai said.

He underscored the need to encourage tourists to appreciate nature’s splendour from a safe distance without carelessly handling fragile marine life, aiming to sustain these invaluable natural resources.

In related news, Coral reefs in Thailand support high-value fish and shellfish populations, including grouper and lobster. Because of this, it’s a major issue in Thailand. A new Coral Rehabilitation for a Divers Volunteers training program in Phuket has attracted several foreign divers interested in the restoration project. Read more HERE.