BANGKOK, June 23 — Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued an announcement to protect the environment of 52 islands in the Ko Samui and Ko Pha-ngan islands in Surat Thani province after encroachment deteriorated their conditions.
Noppadol Thiyajai, deputy secretary-general of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) under the ministry, said that expanding tourism affected the environment of many islands in both island groups and severe impacts happened to catchment areas, swamp forests, mangrove forests, beaches and cliffs.
He said that the urbanization law could not be enforced effectively to protect the environment in the affected areas.
Section 45 of the Environmental Quality Preservation and Promotion Act BE 2535 was used to issue a ministerial regulation to protect the environment in seven sub-districts of Ko Samui district and three sub-districts of Ko Phangan district, he said.
The protection covers 52 islands including Koh Samui and the Koh Phangan islands. It took effect on May 31 and will be imposed for five years. The announcement is the eighth of its kind.
Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Office staff will discuss the regulation with local authorities later this month.
The office prohibits any activities that will change local ecosystems including oil drilling and construction of high rises, hotels and residences on environmentally sensitive small islands. However, the regulation does not have a retroactive effect.
Mr Noppadol added that such protection would be extended to cover roads lined with large rubber trees in Chiang Mai and in Ranong provinces.
