About 50 tour operators in southern Thailand have suspended boat trips to the popular Similan Islands today and tomorrow in protest of a new National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department’s [DNP] policy limiting the number of daily visitors to 3,850.
Tour operators agreed on the boycott yesterday morning after a meeting in Phang Nga Province’s Ta Muang district, where they discussed their opposition to the new restrictions announced by the government last week.
In addition to the lost business, many were angry in particular over the fact that they had already accepted advance tour bookings ahead of the announcement, reported Thairath.
The first policy change, which bans overnight visits to the island in order to reduce pollution and damage to the environment, was published in the Royal Gazette last Monday, according to Matichon. Two days later, the conservation department announced a daily limit of 3,850 visitors, with only 525 of that number allowed to be scuba divers. Tour boats carrying more than 100 people will also be banned.
Mu Koh Similan National Park chief Ruamsin Manajongprasert said the revised tourist-management plan was to address the issues of excessive tourism and ecosystem degradation, which are the two major challenges faced by the islands.
The new restrictions came into effect today, just as the best-known island groups in the Andaman Sea reopen for tourists after several months of traditional monsoon season closures.
On behalf of the operators, Rattakit Lorwichawornwatt, president of the Similan-Surin Boat Club, stated that the 50 boycotting companies will take tourists to other attractions today and tomorrow while awaiting response from the government.
Meanwhile, Thawat Niranatawarodom, president of Tourism Federation of Phang Nga, said he regarded the restriction as “bad management” given that the Similan Islands are already closed six months out of the year in order to give the ecology time to recover from damage caused by tourism.
Prime Minister’s Office Minister Kobsak Putrakul received the tour operators’ complaint and promised to bring it to DNP’s attention, reported Manager.
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