JINDACHOTSIRI

Chanakan Nadia Jindachotsiri

Mr. Abel Cadias
English 10/ 10:06
June 20, 2016
The Impacts of Snorkeling to Coral Habitats in Thailand
One of the effects of snorkeling to the environment is the destruction of corals
called coral bleaching. The purpose of this research report was to show the effects of
underwater activities on the environment in Thailand. The importance of this research
report is to show how Thai government can control underwater activities to protect the
environment. This research used one book and seven online sources as references. First,
the book called Thailand Act in 2015 is about the management of marine and coastal
resources. Second, the article entitled Thailands Top 5 Snorkeling Places discussed the
most popular islands for snorkeling in Thailand. Third, the website Snorkeling Vs. 7
Greens suggested good behaviors of tourists. Fourth, an article called Impact of
Tourism on Coral explained coral damages caused by people. Fifth, the article entitled
Causes and Effects of Coastal Degradation showed the solutions of destroying coral
reefs. Sixth, Mr. Sakanan Plathong wrote in General Outlook of Coral Reefs
Conservation in Thailand that tourism might damage or destroy coral reefs. Seventh,
Solution and Decadence described humans activities that affected the corals. Next, the
article About 70 per cent of reefs near Trang are hit by bleaching; giant clams to be
moved reported about amount of coral reefs that were destroyed.

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Snorkeling and Corals Habitat

Snorkeling is swimming on the surface below 40 meters with a diving mask
known as a snorkel or pipe. Snorkeler needs to use a mask, snorkel and life jacket.
While snorkeling, everyone likes to see the beautiful coral reefs. The article called Coral
Reef Animal Printouts suggested that coral reefs are the habitat for many animals which
liked to live in warm water at about 21-30 degree Celsius. They are divided into three
types. First, fring reefs are the coral reefs around the islands. They grow in skin-deep
water. Second, barrier reefs are blockades between the seas and the marshes. Lastly,
Coral Atolls are the coral reefs that grow on the volcanos sunk in the sea. According to an
article in kapook.com, every month over two million people visited Thailand for
travelling. Most of them went to the south of Thailand to admire the beautiful nature of
the sea. The most popular activity among these tourists is snorkeling. Nemoguides
website reported that there were many popular islands for snorkeling in Thailand, such as
Ko Surin on the Andaman Sea, because there are lots of coral reefs around there.
The Effects
Koh Nang-Yuan is one of the most popular islands for snorkeling. Five years
passed, 17% of the amount of corals around there were decreased. On the other hand, a
few percent of coral reefs in Chalok Bankon gulf that was not popular island as much as
Koh Nang-Yuan for snorkeling were increased. This reflected that tourism affected to the
coral reefs a lot (Kornkanitnan, 1998). When tourists were taken on the boat for
snorkeling, the oil could be found on the surface of the sea on their way. This oil
prevented oxygen from undersea water. Thus, the marine life, especially corals, lack
oxygen for living. When they reached their snorkeling destination, the anchor was

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dropped into the sea. This could destroy the undersea coral reefs. While snorkeling, some
tourists stepped on the coral reefs and break them. Narumol Kornkanitnan explained that
with 82.34 percent of the tourists touch, coral reefs were broken. Some tourists collected
corals as their souvenirs. On their way, these tourists might drop their leftover foods into
the sea, which made the water dirty. It could cause one of the very big issues of coral
reefs: bleaching. It happened when corals lose single-cell algae that not only protected
them from sunlight but also produced oxygen for corals. When the algae produced too
much oxygen, it could be toxic. Then, the coral reefs would slowly change their color and
die (Teerawut, 2008). Another cause of bleaching is sea-surface temperature. Based on
The Nation date 21st May, all diving areas in Trang were ordered to close because of coral
bleaching. Information of a group from Chulalongkorn Universitys Veterinary Medical
Aquatic Animal Research report showed that 70 percent of coral reefs around Koh Mook
were bleached because water temperature was increased to 33 degree Celsius, but in the
real life the highest water temperature for corals was 30 degree Celsius. Therefore,
snorkeling could affect coral reefs in many ways.
Laws to Protect Coral Reefs
In accordance with section 17 in category 3 of the act to promote the management
of marine and coastal resources, 2015, Director General of the Department of Marine and
Coastal can stop any activities damaging coastal natural resource. According to Thairath
online news dated 15th May 2016, Tachai island was closed for at least two years because
too many tourists visited this island and destroyed its coral reefs. This shocking news
reflected that the existing environment protection laws were not effective enough.
Therefore, Thailand should design some more effective rules for tourists and tour

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companies. For example, the government should direct everyone who wanted to work in
a tour business about snorkeling to join the training before they entered companies. After
finishing the drill, they would get certificates which would be the requirement of
companies. If Thai government used this law, it will make the personnels who worked in
Thailands tourism had higher quality. Moreover, the government should manage month
for snorkeling, so corals reefs would have more time to repair themselves. For instance,
in January-June tourists could go to snorkel only in gulf of Thailand, and in JulyDecember tourists could go to snorkel in Andaman sea. Consequently, Thai government
should create more productive laws to protect the underwater environment.
Conclusion
This research report aimed to find out the effects of underwater activities on the
environment in Thailand. This research report concluded that snorkeling affected coral
reefs in many ways, and one of the problem was called bleaching. The report
discovered that Thailand has some laws, but they are not efficient enough. Consequently,
Thai government should legislate more sufficient laws. This research report recommends
future studies on how Thai government conserve coral reefs.

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References
Narumol K. (1998). Impact of Tourism on Coral. Retrieved May 6, from
http://www.thaithesis.org/detail.php?id=1082541000776
Coral Reef Animal Printouts. (n.d.). Retrieved May 5,2016, from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/coralreef/coralreef.shtml
Thailands Top 5 Snorkeling Places. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6,2016, from
http://nemoguides.com/thailand/diving/best-snorkeling-places/
The Nation. (2016, May 21). About 70 per cent of reefs near Trang are hit by bleaching;
giant clams to be moved. Retrieved May 22,2016, from
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/About-70-per-cent-of-reefs-nearTrang-are-hit-by-b-30286415.html
' '
. (2016, May 15).
Retrieved May 10, 2016, from
http://www.thairath.co.th/content/620576
. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2016, from
http://www.nemotour.com/corals/subject2.htm
.. .
(2015, Mach26). Retrieved May 6,2016, from
http://dmcr2014.dmcr.go.th/bookRead.php?
WP=nGA4ZUNjoGW3G0lDooya4UERnHy4Ljo7o3Qo7o3Q
. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2016, from
http://www.sci.psu.ac.th/chm/biodiversity/coral_problem.html