Thailand marine parks to temporarily close

THAILAND will close dozens of
national marine parks over the wet
season – which runs from June
until October – to allow them to recover
from the ravages of high-season mass
tourism.
According to Nathaphon Ratanaphan,
chief of Marine National Parks, 61
of the country’s 154 national park
zones will close. These include popular
destinations such as the Koh Phi Phi
islands, Similan Islands, Koh Ha islets
near Koh Lanta and the Jao Mai beach
national marine park.
Thailand has not yet announced the
exact dates during which the park
zones will be closed.
Nathaphon says the closures
are necessary to allow nature to
recover at its own pace and to
better protect the area during the
monsoon season. During the closures,
environmental impact studies will also
be carried out.