Thailand closes island after coral bleaching discovered May 11, 2024

Coral Photo by Pexels

By AFP - Agence France Presse

May 11, 2024

Thailand closes island after coral bleaching discovered

An island in southern Thailand was closed on Thursday following the discovery of extensive coral bleaching, the National Parks office said.

Bleaching, which occurs when algae living inside corals are expelled, is usually caused by higher-than-normal ocean temperatures and increased ultraviolet radiation.

Corals can recover from bleaching over time, once temperatures drop and ocean conditions return to normal.

The closure comes after a deadly heatwave caused temperatures to soar in Thailand and Asia in recent weeks.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) said that Pling Island and the coral reefs around Sirinart National Park in Phuket would be temporarily closed due to extensive coral bleaching caused by rising seawater temperatures.

The department is also monitoring the national parks of Koh Chang, Koh Samet, Chumphon, Koh Surin, Phang Nga Bay, the Phi Phi Islands, and Lanta.

The news comes after the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned last month that the world is experiencing the second-largest coral bleaching event in 10 years.

Reef systems from Australia to Florida are struggling after months of record ocean heat, NOAA said.

Park closures occur periodically in Thailand, which was visited by 28 million tourists in 2023, many of them coming to enjoy the country's pristine beaches.

In 2018, Maya Bay, the Thai island made famous by the Hollywood film “The Beach”, was closed for more than four months to allow it's corals and marine life to recover after being exhausted by hordes of tourists.

Scientists have long warned that human-induced climate change will produce more frequent, longer, and more intense heat waves.

Although the El Nino phenomenon is helping to drive this year's exceptionally hot weather, Asia is also warming faster than the global average, according to the UN's World Meteorological Organization.

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