Environment-harming tour guides to be banned
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will blacklist tour guides who damage the environment from national marine parks.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dapong Rattanasuwan, said guides who jeopardise coral reefs and marine life will be placed on the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department's blacklist, barring them from re-entering national parks.
"We have no authority to withdraw their tourism licence, as it is not our job. But what we can do is ban them from entering national parks. We have been aware of misconduct by guide and tourists," he said.
The warning came after a video posted online showed a sea-walker tour guide handling marine life and feeding bread to fish off Koh Hey near Phuket.