The tour operators have had enough of the winding back of tour boat
operations and are now resorting to boycotting and ‘disrupting’ the
tours in order to get their protests heard.
About 50 tour operators in Phuket and Phang nga say they’re
suspending boat trips to Similan-Surin islands in the Andaman sea (off
the coast of Phang-Nga) today and tomorrow to protest against the
decision of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants
Conservation to limit the number of visitors to the islands to 3,850 a
day. The number also includes 525 scuba divers.
Thai PBS reports that the limitation of visitors comes into force
today after the two main islands re-opened to tourists after several
months of closure during the monsoon season.
Besides the limitation of visitors, overnight stay-overs are not permitted.
Tour operators met yesterday in Ban Tap Lamu in Thai Muang district
of Phang nga to discuss the new restrictions which they say they oppose.
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FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS
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They say their objections are because the restrictions would affect
their business and that they’ve already accepted advance bookings to
tour the islands before the department issued its new restrictions.
They say they will take their tourists to other tourist attractions
Monday and Tuesday this week while awaiting response from the
department.
Tour operators have been notified of the reopening of the two islands
for visitors and the restrictions and to get themselves prepared with
their vessels being properly checked to ensure their sea worthiness and
equipped with enough life vests for their passengers.
The PM’s Office Minister Kobsak Putrakul, who was in Phang nga over
the weekend, received the tour operators’ complaint and promised to
bring it to the attention of the department chief.
Source - Thai BPS
