Nation Thailand
Plastic bottles blanket Phi Phi Leh bay as Thailand’s marine waste threat grows
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National park officials collected six large bags of plastic waste from Loh Samah Bay on Phi Phi Leh Island after large numbers of plastic water bottles were found floating across the sea near the boat access point to Maya Bay, one of Krabi’s best-kno
Key facts
- Images posted by Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park showed plastic bottles and other waste scattered across the surface of the water, prompting concern among conservationists over the impact on marine life and the image of one
- The Pollution Control Department’s 2024 pollution situation report said the amount of marine debris collected fell to 646 tonnes in 2024, compared with 1,435 tonnes in 2023
- The comparison is not exact because the 2023 figure covered January to October, while the 2024 figure covered January to December.
- The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources reported that, in fiscal 2024, rubbish collected through its activities totalled more than 4.05 million pieces, weighing 327,143 kilogrammes
- In fiscal 2024, 305 rare marine animals were directly affected by marine debris, with ingestion of waste the leading cause
- DMCR’s 2024 reef-related survey identified three main activity groups linked to rubbish in coral reef areas: water activities and fishing, coastal and recreational activities, and construction
Summary
Images posted by Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park showed plastic bottles and other waste scattered across the surface of the water, prompting concern among conservationists over the impact on marine life and the image of one of Thailand’s most famous island destinations.
Sangsurin Songthong, chief of the national park, said officers from National Park Protection Unit PP.5, based at Maya Bay, collected rubbish in Loh Samah Bay and Ao Lo Ko.