Yet, despite current shortcomings and the negative sentiments of local communities towards the NMPs, we contend that they remain an important policy mechanism for marine management and conservation in Thailand. MPAs have the potential to conserve the environment and increase fisheries while contributing positively to social and economic development in local communities if (a) local development considerations are taken into account and (b) they are effectively managed and governed. If applied judiciously, support for MPAs may also increase over time as benefits are realized. However, the effective application of MPAs requires that they are not islands of protection but situated within a suite of management actions and frameworks [82–84]. In the Thai context, this includes local community institutions for fisheries and natural resource management, broader-scale fisheries management actions through the Department of Fisheries, and Integrated