Announced of Mu Ko Similan National Park Subject: Coral Bleaching Phenomenon in National Park Area

There has recently been widespread coral bleaching in coral reefs in both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, an issue to which the department has paid a great deal of attention. The National Parks Research Division of the National Parks Office has been continuously monitoring this phenomenon for a period of time. Coral bleaching may arise from various factors: increased water temperatures, increased solar radiation, change in salinity, increases in sedimentation, bacterial infections, and combinations of these factors. However, the main factors causing the current coral bleaching are the combined effects of global warming, which has raised the sea temperature by 1-2 degrees Celsius, and increases in sunlight intensity. As a result, there is damage to the photosynthetic symbionts of corals (known as zooxanthellae) which become expelled from the coral host. This process is known as coral bleaching. Coral are significantly weakened by bleaching events and tend to die in great numbers within 2-3 weeks if the conditions do not return to normal. Limitation of tourism activities at affected coral reefs will also reduce stress on the coral and aid in its recovery. The meeting consulted of Department of national parks, wildlife and plant conservation, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and marine scientists from Kasetsart University, Chulalongkorn University, Ramkamhaeng University, Prince of Songkla University and came to a decision to implement site-specific closures of those dive sites where coral bleaching affects over 80% of the coral. The closures will help the coral to regenerate from the bleaching which has occurred. Monitoring will continue at all closed sites. Mu Ko Similan National Park was considered to implement site-specific closures of those dive sites where coral bleaching affects over 80% of the coral. The closures will help the coral to regenerate from the bleaching which has occurred. There are 2 diving sites that will be closed:

1. Fire Wap Cape (Beacon Reef), Similan Island (8th Island) 2. East of Eden (Orchid House), Payu Island (7th Island)

The National Park will remove the mooring buoy or orientation borderline to not allow for all marine activities. Violators will be punished under the National Park Act B.E. 2504, article 18 and article 25: liable to imprisonment not exceeding one month or fine not exceeding 1,000 baht or both of punishment and fine. Announced for all tourism operator have to strictly conduct according to this announcement when the situation back to normal the National Park will be announced to the next occasion. For other areas, the National Park is still open for the tourists as ordinarily.

Announced on 21, January,2011

(Mr.Parnumart Saamseeniam) Senior Forestry Officer officiate to

Head of Mu Ko Similan National Park