Protected Marine Wildlife in Thailand
Divers are taught early that it is not okay to disturb Marine Wildlife. Ignoring this rule can harm organisms, divers, and entire ecosystems. This not only ruins dive sites for others, but adds to the destruction of the Earth’s oceans by human activities.
Thailand has enacted laws to enforce this rule and protect marine life.
The Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act, B.E. 2535 (1992) states that “no person shall hunt or attempt to hunt the preserved or protected Wild Animal” (Section 16). ‘Hunt’ is defined as “collect, capture, trap, shoot, or kill a Wild Animal, or to cause injury by any other means” (Section 4). Furthermore, “whoever acts in contravention to the provisions of Section 16…shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding four years or with a fine not exceeding forty thousand baht, or both” (Section 47).
It is clear that If you harm Marine Wildlife you could be sent to jail for up to four years…
The act also states that “no person shall collect, endanger, or keep in their possession nests of preserved or protected Wild Animals” (Section 21) and that ‘whoever acts in contravention of the provisions of Section 21…shall be punished with imprisonment or with a fine not exceeding ten thousand baht, or both” (Section 51).
Keep this in mind next time you dive a tropical reef. The organisms divers find are beautiful and it may be tempting to touch or collect them.
The following organisms are protected under the act:
| Triton
Species Charonia tritonis |
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| Giant clam
Family Tridacnidae |
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| Soft Coral
Order Alcyonacea |
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| Coral
Order Helioporacia |
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| Fire Coral
Genus Millepora |
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| Stony Coral
Order Scleractinia |
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| Hydrocoral Invertebrates
Order Stylasterina |
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| Sea Anemone
Order Actiniaria |
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| Sea Fan / Black Coral
Order Antipatheria |
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| Sea Fan / Black Coral
Order Gorgonacea |
 |
Sources:
- http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0317.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charonia_tritonis#/media/File:Charonia_tritonis_a1.jpg
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tridacninae
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyonacea#/media/File:Soft2.jpg
- http://www.tfhmagazine.com/assets/004/13619_400wh.jpg
- http://coralpedia.bio.warwick.ac.uk/images/optimized/millepora_alcicornis02.jpg
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scleractinia#/media/File:Brain_coral.jpg
- http://www.mbnmssimon.org/other/photos/photo_info.php?photoID=1928&search=inverts&s=140&page=8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btF4VOjuKsE
- http://www.nova.edu/ocean/messing/strait-of-florida/deep-reefs.html
- http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/pgallery/pgflorida/living/living_11.html
