Thailand bans overnight stays on popular Similan Island

BANGKOK: With Thailand’s Maya Bay set to close for four months starting on Friday to shield its coral reefs from the ravages of mass tourism, the country has said that another popular destination, Similan Island, will also be off limits to overnight visitors.

Similan Island, one of nine islands in the Similan Island chain, part of a national marine park, will remain open for day trips only after it officially opens in October, local media reported on Thursday.

It typically closes during the rainy season between May and October.

On average, 5,000 to 6,000 people visit Similan each day to enjoy the pristine tropical island’s crystal clear waters and powdery sand beaches, according to The Nation newspaper.

The island is equipped with tent campgrounds and bungalows and was a popular overnight trip for tourists.

Koh Similan, as it is known in Thailand, is located in the Andaman Sea about an hour from the southern Thai coast by speedboat.

Thon Thamrongnawasawat, the chairman of a government committee overseeing marine resources management, called the impact of visitors on the island “overwhelming” in remarks to the Bangkok Post.

Maya Bay, which became worldfamous after appearing in the 2000 Hollywood film “The Beach” starring Leonardo Dicaprio, has witnessed drastic coral die-off in recent years, also with thousands of visitors arriving there daily — far more than the island’s capacity. “Seventy-seven per cent of corals in Thailand are gone, but in Maya there’s hardly any left,” Thon said earlier this year. — dpa