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After Maya Bay Beach Closing and thanks to the absence of visitors during the Covid-19 pandemic, nature has begun to reclaim its rights on the Thai islands, ravaged by mass tourism. The country is taking the opportunity to accelerate its shift towards eco-responsible tourism, of which the Similan Islands archipelago could be the showcase. Excerpt from a report by “Special Envoy”.
The worldwide success of the film The beach had made this paradise a hell: a tide of tourists had swept over the white sand, and little by little annihilated the seabed. To save the beach of Maya Bay, on the island of Phi Phi Ley, off the coast of Thailand, it had to be banned. It was closed to the public for three years. A shock treatment which, helped by the absence of tourists during the Covid-19 pandemic, has allowed nature to reclaim its rights: the water has become clearer again, the coral reefs have grown back, sharks have even returned. .
The Thai government seized the opportunity to accelerate its eco-responsible shift. In September 2021, it announced the annual closure of its 127 national parks for several months, in order to let nature breathe. This policy is already applied in the Similan Islands, in the west of the country. They have become the laboratory of a new tourism, under high protection.
Nights prohibited on the archipelago
Because the government is now giving itself the means to preserve natural sites: this is the message that it obviously wishes to convey to the camera of “Special Envoy”. Facing the journalists, a battalion of armed rangers, in fatigues and black vest adorned with a crab. They are responsible for protecting the flora and fauna of the Similan Islands National Park. Their mission is also to control the boats: none can cross the limits of the park without authorization.
The team of “Special Envoy” embarks with the commander, who exposes the new, drastic rules. Since 2018, there is no longer any question of welcoming nearly 10,000 tourists here per day. Now their number is limited to 3,850, he explains, and 525 divers. Boat hotels cannot accommodate more than 500 people. Spending the night on the archipelago is now prohibited, and the bungalows that housed tourists have been destroyed.
Excerpt from “Thailand, paradise regained”, a report to see in “Special Envoy” on January 20, 2022.
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