Phuket's reef 'two-thirds gone'

[ancientmariner]

Phuket's reef 'two-thirds gone'

Two-thirds of the coral reef at the Thai resort of Phuket has been destroyed as a result of the tourist trade, according to Thai officials.
Debris from building works accounted for most the reef's damage, said spokesman for Phuket Marine Biological Center, Nipon Pongsuwanthe.
Diving and fishing also contributed to the reef's demise, he added.
More than four million people visited Phuket island last year - an increase of 2% from 2002.
Tourism surge
Three episodes of coral bleaching during the 1990s - an environmental occurrence attributed to rising water temperature and pollution - had also destroyed the reef, Mr Pongsuwanthe said.
Official tourism groups are aggressively promoting the Andaman Triangle, which includes Phuket and resorts in the Krabi and Phang Nga, as a prime marine tourism attraction.
The government wants to double the number of tourists to the country by 2008.
Tourism currently accounts for 6% of Thailand's economy.
BBC News, UK

[richie007]

U should see Phi Phi island the reef there is a joke its been totally destroyed....it a real shame

[eric-the-viking]

the similians is still a gorgeous dive,but unfortuantley the is also evidence of less carefull divers and dive operators who do not seem to realise that once the reef is damaged it is as good as destroyed for ever.
terrible shame.

[wonderful days]

This is the prove "money is not everything"!

[andy50]

flying in a jet aircraft to thailand fcks up the ozone layer ,but we all do it, so we are all shi*ting in our own beds,where ever there is human activity ,there is pollution / destruction /war/suffering,its my belief that humans are parasites that the earth doesn't need ! no offence guys /gals, but thats what ive come to believe over my life time,thats why i never had any kids