CHON BURI: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has introduced a pilot project involving environmentally friendly sea walking tours on Koh Lan and its neighbouring islets in the province.
DMCR Chief Pinsak Suraswadi said tours had earlier operated in southern provinces, but they were unregulated and damaged the marine ecological system.
He said the tour operators did not follow the department's regulations to protect and preserve the coral reef sites.
Some operators removed coral from their natural habitats and placed them on a sea-walk route to offer the tourists a closer look. This had a huge impact on marine life, so the department put a halt to such activities.
However, with the Chon Buri Provincial Administrative Organisation promoting Koh Lan Island and its surrounding islets, such activities can now be done if they are regulated.
This is being carried out under the updated 2021 Environment Promotion and Preservation Law, which allows local administration to develop its environmental conservation measures and protected areas. The administration office is allowing sea walking tours to promote local tourism activities in 38 designated areas.
A DMCR research team, local communities, and tourism operators have been working together to design pathways that do not harm coral reef habitats. Tourists will not be allowed to walk off designated routes, and the tour operator's main responsibility is to ensure that the regulations are strictly followed.
"This is a fruitful model, which we hope could be expanded into other provinces," said Mr Pinsak. "We want to promote a blue economy where people would benefit from their own efforts to protect and preserve the natural resources."
An area covering Koh Lan and its surrounding islands has been declared protection zones.
Koh Lan and its neighbouring islands are regarded as the province's most important diving and snorkelling sites, drawing up to 10,000 tourists per day, and generating at least five million baht of daily income.
The DMCR and its partners have worked closely to install artificial reefs to provide a stable growing area for coral and habitats for fish and other marine organisms.