Attractions
Experts point to serious damage to the bay’s coral reefs and trees.
Krabi’s Maya Bay to remain closed indefinitely
A signed announcement by National Parks head Thanya Nethithammakul dated September 28 said the closure was extended from October 1 onwards.
The closure of popular tourist site Maya Bay in Krabi will be extended indefinitely to enable the damaged marine ecosystem to recover, drawing protests from tour operators.
The bay and its famous beach on Koh Phi Phi have been closed since June 1, but the closure was extended for another month from October 1 to November 1.
A signed announcement by National Parks head Thanya Nethithammakul dated September 28 said the closure was extended from October 1 onwards.
At a recent meeting, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation cited the serious damage to the bay and its marine environment by hordes of day-tripping groups and made the decision to close the site indefinitely, Bangkok Post reported.
Park chief Worapoj Lomlim said on Tuesday that a closure of four to six months was “not enough”, given the extensive damage to coral reefs and progress in tree planting.
Lomlim said his agency, working with other agencies, have already planted more than 1,000 corals, with plans to expand the rehabilitated area.
Coral reefs required time to fully grow, and experts from several agencies shared the view it was too early to reopen the bay, Lomlim said.
Wattrapol Chanthararo, chairman of the Koh Phi Phi tourism business club, said the closure of Maya Bay would certainly affect tourism on the island as a whole. Authorities had not sought the views of any local residents before making the decision.
Maya Bay, part of an island in Krabi’s Mueang district, shot global fame when it was featured in Hollywood film The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, in 2000.