鈥楾he Beach鈥 Thai bay shut till 2021
Print Edition
The closure of the glittering Thai bay made famous by the movie 鈥淭he Beach鈥 has been extended for another two years to allow a full recovery of its corals and wildlife, an official said yesterday, upsetting the tourism industry.
Maya Bay, ringed by cliffs on Ko Phi Phi Ley island and surrounded by azure waters, was made famous when it featured in the 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It was shut last June by Thai authorities due to worries the paradise bay was suffering from the thousands of day-trippers arriving by boat.
Authorities initially said the beach 鈥 a draw for more than 38 million tourists 鈥 was going to be closed for four months, but the reopening was postponed.
Thon Thamrongnawasawat, from the Department of National Parks, said the visitors鈥 ban will be extended until 2021.
鈥淭he resolution of the Department of Parks is to extend the closure of Maya Bay for another two years to allow its ecology to fully recover,鈥 he said.
After it is reopened, measures such as limiting daily visitors and banning boats from parking within the bay鈥檚 waters will be enacted, Thon said. Before Maya Bay鈥檚 closure, up to 5,000 tourists visited daily, causing trees and vegetation to be uprooted, creeping soil erosion and severe damage to the corals in the bay. A majority of the visitors were ferried from Krabi province by tour operators touting the movie-famous bay as a key attraction for day-trips.
鈥淢aya Bay is the heart of our tourism,鈥 said Wattana Rerngsamut, chairman of Krabi Provincial Tourism Association. Calling the two-year extension 鈥渦nfair,鈥 Wattana said the Department of National Parks should conduct public hearings so they can find 鈥渃ommon ground so that local people can earn a living.鈥
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