DIVE HAPPY

Tarutao Marine Park in Southern Thailand has lost nearly all its exotic fish to poachers says the park's chief, as a new marine research vessel launches to survey Thailand's coasts

Somewhat depressing item in today's Bangkok Post about the state of one of Thailand's marine parks in the south of the country, near the Malaysia border. Still, it's good the government are getting scientists back into the water and assessing the real impact of aquarium poachers and coastal erosion. The issue is - how quickly and effectively will the government move to action?

"Satun - Thailand's only large marine research vessel, the RV Chakratong Tongyai, will resume deep-sea exploration next month after a three-year break.

Its first mission will be surveying coral reefs at the diving paradise of Mu Ko Adang-Rawi in the Andaman Sea.

Petipong Pungbun na Ayudhya, permanent secretary for natural resources and environment, has told the department's marine researchers that the country is in dire need of updated marine ecology information to draw up proper marine protection and natural disaster preparation plans.

"We also want to know more about the implications of climate change on our marine resources and the pattern of natural disasters," said Mr Petipong, who went on the research vessel to Tarutao marine national park in Satun province last week.

Mr Petipong, a veteran scuba diver, said the depletion of marine resources in the southern sea was "frightening", be it coral reef degradation, coastal erosion or a sharp reduction in the number of aquatic animals due to over-fishing and hunting of exotic fish.

Naruebet Chumthong, chief of Tarutao Marine National Park, said what worried him most was coral reef damage due to an influx of divers from Malaysia.

The hunting of marine animals, especially rare and colourful fish, was also on the rise.

"The opening of more aquariums in the country is partly to blame for the depletion of these precious animals," said Mr Naruebet.

"You can hardly see any colourful fish in the waters around Tarutao island these days because they have all been scooped up and sold to the aquariums."