Phuket hotels unite to save ‘paradise island’ from plastic and overtourism
Almost 70 hotels on Phuket have pledged to reduce plastic use – the first in a raft of measures to conserve and preserve the Thai island
As mass tourism becomes an issue across the globe, Phuket hoteliers have united around urgent measures to ensure plastic and pollution don't ruin the once idyllic Thai island.
“Phuket is my paradise island and I don’t want to see it damaged by tourists,” says Phuket resident Chawanwit Petcharat. “I want to see the turtles come back and lay eggs on the beach and no trash in the sea.”
Eleven-year-old Petcharat is too young to remember the island when it was dotted with picture-perfect beaches and the tourist hub of Patong was just a sleepy town.
Today, many of the island’s shores are littered with trash and are packed with tourists during high season. As plastic bags and cigarette butts float in the ocean, huge efforts are being made to conserve the island’s dwindling marine life and natural beauty that were the initial draw for tourists.
Anthony Lark, president of the Phuket Hotel Association and luxury resort Trisara’s managing director, landed in Phuket 31 years ago to open one of the island’s first luxury hotels. “Phuket was a quiet island and the beaches were deserted and pristine,” he recalls. “You could go fishing and within a minute land a load. There were turtles on all the beaches. The growth of tourism ... has led to Phuket becoming an urban resort in many parts. With that comes challenges.”