A beach in Thailand made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio film is to close indefinitely.
Authorities in the country announced earlier this year that they
were closing Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi island for four months in a bid to
help it recover from the effects of tourism.
However following a survey, it was found that in order for the
island to fully cover from erosion and pollution, the beach would have
to close indefinitely.
A statement from the Department of National Parks said: “The
ecosystem and the beach’s physical structure have yet returned to its
full condition until natural resources return to normal.”
The spot on the island was made famous by the 2000 film The
Beach, directed by Danny Boyle. It’s become a bucket list location for
those travelling to Thailand.
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Environmentalists say that heavy traffic from boats and increasing
numbers of visitors have damaged the beach and surrounding area’s
ecosystem.
Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat from Bangkok’s Kasetsart University
told the South China Morning Post: “When I first came here 38 years ago,
this place was heaven. This was all coral once but now there is
nothing.”
Up until its closure, the island was seeing up to 5,000 tourists visiting the spot each day.
The news comes as the Philippines prepares to reopen Boracay after it also became inundated with tourists.
Boracay has been closed for six months and is set to officially reopen on October 26.
An environment official said that only 19,000 tourists will be allowed in Boracay on any given day.
Water and leisure activities including drinking on the beach will be prohibited.
Source - Evening Standard
