EFE.- Thailand, one of the most visited countries in the world for its spectacular tropical beaches, has banned the use of sunscreen creams that contain any of the four chemicals identified as harmful to coral growth.
The Department of Maritime Parks began to apply the measure from Wednesday in order to protect the conservation of its coasts against products that “deteriorate coral reefs, destroy larvae, obstruct their reproductive system and cause coral bleaching.”
In recent years, environmental experts had expressed concern about the damage caused to corals by mass tourism and some of the lotions used by visitors.
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According to the aforementioned government order, sunscreens that contain among their components: oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor or butylparaben may not be used.
Thai authorities noted that Whoever violates the law will have to face a fine of up to 100,000 bat (3,000 dollars or 2,500 euros).
The norm specifically prohibits carrying these creams and using them within maritime natural parks, so tourists will be offered to leave them at the entrance, explained today the general director of National Maritime Parks, Jaturathep Kowinthawong.
In this sense, the person responsible for the conservation of the parks requested the collaboration of tourists so that they do not use the specified sunscreens before visiting the protected beaches.
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This measure is similar to those applied in the small island nation of Palau, in Micronesia, or the US state of Hawaii.
Before the closure of international borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Thailand expected to reach 40 million tourists a year.
A huge number of visitors that kept the tourism sector profitable on many occasions at the expense of the conservation of natural environments.
In 2018, the Thai authorities decided to indefinitely close Maya Bay, popular as a result of the movie “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, after detecting deep damage to the surrounding coral reefs.
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