Thailand’s National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has decided to close down 18 dive sites to give the areas a chance to recover.
While Authorities at other major diving destinations around the world twiddle their thumbs and hope the problem goes away, Thailand’s authorities have taken bold measures to insure that their delicate reef systems will survive. It is believed over 80% of the coral at each of the affected sites has been damaged. As well as diver related damage, the reef systems are also suffering from bleaching, believed to be the worst in 20 years, due to rising temperatures with increases of 2 to 4 degrees celcius in some areas.
Some of the dive sites closed include, East of Eden in the Similans, Ao Pakkad, Ao Suthep, Ao Mai Ngam, Koh Stork, Hin Kong in the Surin Islands and Hin Klang near Koh Phi Phi.