A turtle hospital will be set up at the Phangnga naval base to treat ill sea turtles and serve as a research centre for the marine animals.
A religious ceremony was held on Sunday to begin construction of the hospital in the naval base in tambon Lam Kaen of Thai Muang district. The event was attended by deputy Phangnga governor Pakphum Intarasuwan, Phangnga naval base chief Warongkorn Osathananda as well as officials from state agencies and the private sector.
The construction of the facility, medical equipment and supplies are being paid for by Suthasinee Nitisakarin, managing director of Film Master Co. The hospital will be equipped with surgical wards as well as operating theatres for veterinarians to perform surgery on the turtles.
The facility will be located in the premises of the naval base's Sea Turtle Conservation Centre. The navy headquarters instructed the 3rd Naval Area Command, which supervises the Phangnga naval base, to build the centre as part of the campaign to breed and nurture baby turtles before they are released into the sea, according to officials.
Phangnga governor Sithichai Sakda said park officials at Koh Si and Koh Mieng in Mu Koh Similan National Park recently found 108 endangered green sea turtle eggs on the island's beach.
This is the first time in many years that the green turtles have laid eggs on the island, he said, noting this is good news for conservation efforts.
The eggs have been moved to a safe place so they can be hatched safely, the governor noted.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a sea turtle conservation event at Thai Muang Beach in Thai Muang district of Phangnga recently, Bamrung Piyanamwanich, chief of the Phangnga provincial administrative organisation, said the Thai Muang Beach, which stretches about 14km, serves as a valuable location for Green, Hawksbill, Ridley's and Leatherback turtles to lay their eggs.
The event will run until this Saturday, he noted.