Maya Bay in Thailand made famous by The Beach will end tourists indefinitely

LEONARDO DiCaprio's 2000 movie, The Beach, made Maya Bay famous in Thailand – but it now closes indefinitely.

Thai authorities said its ecosystem needed more time to recover after being damaged by huge amounts of tourists.

Getty – Contributor

On 1 June, Phi Phi Leh's beach was closed for four months to recover the region's coral reefs, which were affected by rising water temperatures and falling waste. .

Every day, nearly 6,000 visitors went to the beach, traveling by speedboat from the nearby resort islands of Phi Phi, Phuket and Krabi on the mainland.

Songtham Sukswang, director of the National Parks Bureau, told Reuters: "Four months of closure were not enough.

"We need at least a year, if not two years or more, for the environment to recover – this includes coral reefs, mangrove swamps and the beach."

20th century fox

Tourism accounts for about 12% of the Thai economy, but the country's ability to handle the rapidly increasing number of visitors is causing more and more concern.

Shocking photos show the decline of Maya Bay after the announcement of the beach closure.

The photos of the bay show the amount of garbage left by the tourists – a large part of them littering the beautiful bay once.

Alamy

On a sad picture, a monkey sits on a rock and looks at a pack of crispy products discarded.

The effects of plastic on the oceans are also evident in Koh Phi Phi.

David Attenborough recently addressed this topic in Blue Planet II.

Getty – Contributor

A photo shows a plastic bag floating in the sea, almost looking like a jellyfish.

In another, a huge amount of plastic, including bottles and cups, floats in the sea.

Although locals are making big efforts to clean up Maya Bay, it's clear that it's now too late for the beach, which has been made popular by the movie Leonardo DiCaprio.

Getty – Contributor

Getty – Contributor

Getty – Contributor

Recent research by a team of marine biologists has revealed that much of the region's coral reefs have disappeared and marine life has virtually disappeared.

Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a leading marine science scientist and member of Thailand's National Strategy Committee for Environmental Development, told AP: "It's as if someone had been working for decades and never stopped.

"Overworked and tired, all the beauty of the beach is gone. We need a break for the beach.

AFP – Getty

© 1993 Ben Davies

Maya Bay is not the only tourist destination in Thailand that has been forced to close due to the environmental damage caused by tourism.

It follows the temporary closure of the popular islands of Koh Khai and Koh Tachai, considered the most beautiful island in the country.

According to Dr. Thamrongnawasawat, 77% of coral reefs in Thai waters have been devastated by tourism-related destruction.

This figure is 30% higher than 10 years ago.

Dr. Thamrongnawasawat said that much of the coral damage was caused by beachfront hotels, plastic waste dumped at sea and boat anchors.

He also warned that temporary closures could only do a lot to repair the damage.

He added: "An ideal solution is a permanent closure."

In May 2016, the Thai authorities announced the final closure of the popular Koh Tachai, an island off the country's southern coast.

Tunya Netithammakul, Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife Conservation and Plants, explained that Koh Tachai needed a chance to recover from the damage caused by tourism.

He told the Bangkok Post, "Thanks to its beauty, Koh Tachai has become a popular tourist spot for Thai and foreign tourists, resulting in overpopulation and degradation of natural resources and the environment.

Getty – Contributor

He added: "We must close it to allow the rehabilitation of the environment on the island and in the sea without being disturbed by tourist activities, before the damage is irreparable."

A few weeks later, three more Thai islands were banned for tourists: the idyllic islands of Koh Khai – Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nui and Koh Khai Nai – off the coast of Phuket.

About 4,000 tourists a day visited the islands before closure, and motor boating and snorkeling were among the main tourist attractions.

The regional director of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Watcharin Na Thalang, said at the time: "Tourist groups spend at least three hours swimming, feeding fish and snorkelling in the sea. water, which seriously damages the marine ecosystem, especially on coral reefs.

Getty – Contributor

He said that motor boats, in particular – no less than 60 per day – put a heavy strain on the marine environment.

Earlier this year, Sun Online Travel also announced that Thailand banned smoking and littering 24 beaches frequented by tourists.

With tourists leaving cigarette butts and garbage, this has become a concern for both the government and the environmental health advocacy groups.

However, the British traveling to Thailand are also warned to leave their e-cigarettes behind or risk being in jail – since vaping was banned in the country in 2014.

Click here for our list of countries around the world that have banned vaping.

Portions of this article were originally published on News.com.au and have been reproduced with permission.