Dive haven
- By: KARNJANA KARNJANATAWE
- Published: 20/11/2008 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Horizons
Buoys laid around the Similans to prevent damage to coral and marine life
Volunteers last week installed 70 buoys at various dive and snorkelling sites around Moo Ko Similan Marine National Park, among the top-10 such sites in the world, to warn off boats from dropping anchor and causing damage to marine life and coral reef in the area.
More than 300 volunteers participated in the exercise, among them being former prime minister Surayud Chulanont and ex-Miss Thailand Areeya Sirisoda.
Visoot Somnuk, deputy director general of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department said, "The aim is to preserve natural resources of the Andaman Sea."
The marine park is 70 kilometres off the mainland Thai Muang district in Phangnga province. It was a composite of nine islands until 1989 when two more were added giving it a total area of 140 square kilometres.
During November to April every year several thousand tourists visit the Similans to dive among coral reef and admire the abundant marine life. However, the park is closed to tourists during the monsoon season characterised by strong winds and high tide that often drive the buoys away from their position, if not lost altogether, and therefore need correction or replacement. Their exact positions are determined and marked by satellite using GPS, said park chief Chaturathep Khowinthawong.
The buoys, he added, have been in use for a decade now and the park has received good cooperation from the 50 or so tour agencies that bring visitors to the Similans, which since 1995 has also been home to a turtle conservation project in which it is assisted by the Royal Thai Navy.
More assistance came this year by way of True Visions cable television operator which, along with producers of Discovery, National Geographic, Animal Planet, HBO, Chic Channel and MTV programmes donated 170,000 baht each to the buoy installation project.
Others dispatched volunteers to help out the installation of buoys, among them the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Special Forces based in Lop Buri, Tourist Police, Marine Police and a dive masters' group.
The volunteers gathered on the powdery white sand of Ko Mieng (Ko Si Island), checked their diving gears and buoys before sailing out in inflatable boats on the mission carried out during November 7-9.
Ropes two inches in diameter were used to tie the buoys to platforms weighing 10-20 tonnes that sat at depths of 10-40 metres, depending on location, explained Kwanmuang Phraedam, warrant officer first class, of the Royal Thai Navy who has volunteered since 1996.
Areeya, the former beauty queen, did her bit by diving to a depth of 15 metres and tying the buoy to the platform, assisted by her team of divers.
"I came here to help," said Garry Halpin, another volunteer from the dive masters' group. He is New Zealander who has lived in Thailand for 23 years. He said it was important to maintain the buoys and it should be done every year.
Honorary volunteer Surayud, the former prime minister, stressed the need for cooperation between the private and public sector to help preserve the country's natural resources.
"We must protect the sea and its beauty for our future generations," he said, adding that tourists could also help keep the islands clean by carrying all litter and garbage back to the mainland.
Park chief Chaturathep asked visitors to assist by reporting infringements by tour boats or fishing trawlers, adding that those found in breach of rules will be severely reprimanded.
He said although 70 buoys seemed good enough at the moment, 200 would be a more adequate number and welcomed donations from all parties that share his vision to preserve and safeguard Thailand's marine resources.
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