Krabi – Thailand’s Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plants (DNP) is preparing to close off Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi National Park to allow its ecosystem to revitalize during the monsoon season.
DNP Director-General, Tanya Netidhammakul, explained that regular tourism, averaging 3-4,000 people per day, has severely affected coral reefs in the bay. It will be officially closed to visitors from June 1 to September 30 of this year to allow for rejuvenation. During the period, all tourism activity will be banned and any passing vessels will have to drift through the area without using their engines.
A dock bridge is also to be installed in the Lohsama Bay area to the rear of Maya Bay, which will not allow ships to pass through. Once the bay is reopened, tourist traffic will be made to pass through Lohsama.
Maya Bay is to be a pilot area for the use of E-Tickets to restrict tourist numbers. Only 2,000 people will be allowed into the area each day. Water management and facilities for park rangers will also be improved with the entire area to serve as a model for other tourist islands in the future.
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