Phuket officials honour King Vajiralongkorn’s birthday with environmental tribute

As Thailand prepares for the 71st birthday of His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn this Friday, July 28, Phuket officials are leading their respective communities in tributes and activities to honour the royal occasion.

In the Baan Kuku area of Ratsada, Phuket Vice Governor Danai Sunantarod directed various initiatives yesterday alongside local volunteers, community members, and organisations to pay tribute to His Majesty. These activities included tree planting and a monastic cleanup on Soi Mae Klin at the entrance to the Baan Kuku Community Development Volunteer Leadership Center, and around Khao To Chae Monastery on Moo 3, Ratsada.

In addition to these environmental efforts, the collective participants also took the traditional pledge “We do good deeds with our hearts,” a phrase often associated with acts of honour during royal commemorations.

In a separate event in Klong Mudong, on Moo 6, Wichit, Vice Governor Danai supervised another assembly aimed at releasing aquatic animals as part of the birthday observances for His Majesty. Also attending this notable event was Sitthipol Muangsong from the Phuket Fisheries Office, together with Mueang Phuket District Chief Pairote Srilamoon, Wichit Mayor Kreetha Chotiwitpipat, several officials, students, and the general public.

This act of releasing aquatic creatures reaffirmed local commitment to aqua-life revitalisation and counteracting reduced fish stock, a cause that Sitthipol maintains will have a positive impact on everyone.

The variety of organisms released into the local water included fry, shrimplets, and fingerlings of plum shrimp, red snapper, sea bass, and gold snapper, reported The Phuket News.

Notably, this area, known historically as ‘Hua Tha’ which translates to ‘entrance to the canal’, has long been recognised as a hub for fishing, and supports local livelihoods. In addition to its traditional roots, it has attracted tourists with its laid-back pace of life, scenic rest areas, canoeing, monkey-spotting, and fish-breeding in local fishermen’s cages, Sitthipol said.

Klong Mudong, renowned as a mangrove forest, is a hatchery for marine fauna. It continually acts as a provider of sustenance and growth, forming a crucial ecological system for its resources, forest, marine life, and the livelihood of its residents.

Therefore, these aquatic creature-releasing exercises promise to rejuvenate marine resources, promote the recovery of local coastal aquatic fauna around Wichit, and ensure that the coastal fishermen of the area can sustain their families through fishing, Sitthipol said.