National park officials collected six large bags of plastic waste from Loh Samah Bay near Maya Bay, as new DMCR and Pollution Control Department data show plastic debris remains a major threat to Thailand’s seas, coral reefs and rare marine animals.

Plastic bottles and empty beer cans roll on the sea floor in the waters around Phuket in southern Thailand, while ever more garbage piles up on the island itself, a tourist hotspot better known for its pristine beaches and stunning sunsets.