Access to Pling Island and coral reefs adjacent to Sirinart National Park in Phuket, Thailand, has been temporarily closed due to significant coral bleaching caused by rising water temperatures, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation announced. flora (DNP) from Thailand.
Why is Pling Island closing?
The closure of access to these sites is due to the thermal stress suffered by the coral reefs following a huge heat wave that has affected Thailand and the whole of Southeast Asia in recent weeks. DPA is also monitoring the situation in the national parks Koh Chang, Koh Samet, Chumphon, Koh Surin, Phang Nga Bay and on the islands of Phi Phi and Lanta.
In April, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned that humanity is facing a massive coral bleaching episode due to record ocean temperatures.
Coral colonies are affected all over the world
Coral colonies are affected worldwide by temperatures. Access closures to national parks are periodically decided in Thailand, which received approximately 28 million tourists in 2023. Many come to have fun in Phuket or relax on the beach, thus participating in the phenomenon of overtourism, which threatens a fragile ecosystem.
@southernthaipbs Close “Koh Pling” Phuket province temporarily after coral reef Koh Pling Phuket # coral reef Pakola ThaiPBS news center the south
Climate warming is happening faster in Asia
In 2018, Maya Bay, a bay in the Koh Phi Phi archipelago made famous by the Hollywood film “The Beach”, was closed for more than four months to allow the restoration of coral reefs and nature damaged by large flows of tourists, according to Agerpress .
Climate warming is happening faster in Asia than in the rest of our planet, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a UN agency. The situation is getting worse from day to day, and the authorities are trying to find the best solutions to save the planet.
