A time bomb for Thai tourism

After being smashed by the tsunami in 2004, Thai coral reefs recovered at a rate of 1 per cent per year for most of the next decade. But after creeping back to 28 per cent of their former coverage in 2010, Thailand’s corals were hit with another natural disaster. Coral bleaching began rolling back reefs at a rate of 1 per cent annually. Last year brought the shocking news that Thai coral reefs had shrunk to just 23 per cent of their former glory.
Bleaching occurs when the algae that supports the coral’s life system is expelled under environmental stress, such as warming seas and pollution. In Thailand there has been a slew of proposals to help alleviate the situation, but none has been carried out seriously despite the urgent need.
At the current rate of decline, there will be almost no coral left in Thai seas 20 years from now.
To avoid that fate, we need to act quickly.
The south of Thailand is second only to Bangkok in terms of tourist revenues for the country. The riches of the marine environment in the South provide a major source of income for the country through tour operators offering diving activities in their packages. Hence, preserving undersea habitats is vital to the tourist industry and the huge numbers of Thais who depend upon it for their livelihoods.
Yet instead of preserving it, we are destroying our marine environment. Trash is being dumped directly into Thai seas on an almost industrial scale. In April a resort in Krabi’s Koh Ngai was discovered to be dumping plastic bags full of garbage into the Andaman Sea, loading them down with big rocks to keep them submerged. Other resorts in the vicinity have also admitted to disposing of rubbish directly into the sea. In fact, the practice is not uncommon at many major seaside resorts in Thailand.
Marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat has been monitoring the situation, and his findings suggest that it is indeed desperate.
The first step in reversing the crisis is to acknowledge what is going on in southern Thailand.
To begin with, blue-green algae discovered on the bleached corals indicates that the water quality is poor. The dumping of garbage and wastewater into the sea by tourist boats and beachside resorts is likely a factor here.
Moreover, many tour boats drop anchor directly on coral communities as a convenient point to pick up or drop off tourists. The resulting destruction could be easily avoided.
Diving centres in other parts of the world – notably Hurghada in Egypt and the Philippines’ Palawan Island – have installed fixed buoys at the reefs where boats can moor without the need for anchoring.
One of the easiest measures to implement immediately is to stop polluting the water. This could be done in simple fashion by installing waste containers in tourist boats and properly enforcing rules against dumping rubbish. All resorts should adopt water-management systems to treat wastewater before releasing it into the sea. Penalties and fines for non-compliance must be enforced.
Dr Thon has weighed in with a proposal that we give Thailand’s coral protected status, leaving the colonies to restore themselves – especially those in national parks. Local residents could collaborate by refraining from any fishing activities that could impact on the living coral communities.
Tourism is a huge earner for Thailand, which ranks as one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Yet if we do nothing to alleviate the decline of our coral reefs, this world-famous jewel among the Kingdom’s natural riches will quickly be lost. With it will go much of the lustre that attracts millions of tourists each year to our seas and beaches.
It’s not too late to support positive actions that will ensure preservation of our marine and coastal resources. The fate of Thailand’s Andaman coastal waters is entwined with our own. The decline is not irreversible. The future of this marine environment still lies in our hands, but we must act now if we want to save it.
Visit http://www.1111.go.th/form.aspx to find out how you can play a role in saving the Thai Andaman’s marine environment.