The Royal Thai Navy and its partners have successfully released 69 units of artificial coral reefs on the seabed of Koh Samae San in Sattahip district of Chonburi province.
The activity was part of the celebrations for HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s birthday on the 2nd of April. Gen Surayud Chulanont, President of the Privy Council and Chairman of the Khao Yai Protection Foundation, was present to chair the event.
The artificial reefs are part of a plant genetics conservation project initiated by the Princess since 1998, in order to promote the island as a learning and eco-tourism attraction.
Gen Surayud noted the importance of natural resource conservation and praised collaboration of the public and private sectors. He also thanked all participants, from navy officers to local communities, for helping to lay the artificial reefs and encouraged them to continue protecting the marine ecological system by not dropping garbage and broken fishing gear into the sea.
The new artificial coral reefs will increase the fish habitat and are part of the Marine Spatial Planning project aimed at creating a coral reef database for the nation.
The success of the project has brought positive outcomes for the fishing community. Through tourism, their incomes have increased to more than 150 million baht per year during the high season, with over 60,000 tourists visiting the island every month. (NNT)
