The history of Thailand
Thailand is well known due to its coastal region, which has the best beaches in the world. having the best beaches, therefore, it becomes difficult for tourists in deciding which beach to visit. However, whether mainland or island beach, any of the country’s beach destination satisfies the tourist’s needs. Since the country has the best beaches, planning a vacation might sound expensive, out of reach, and exotic, however, getting it is easy and affordable. According to tourist statistics in the country, millions of travelers go on vacation in Thailand and spend even more than two weeks on the beaches. Phuket is one of the largest Thailand Island and has the largest and popular beach known as Patong. The beach has soft white sand, hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, warm water, and a wide coastline. Another beach is Railay beach located in the mainland. The beach is only accessible by boat and has an island feel not found in other beach destinations. It has small islands on the horizon, majestic limestone cliffs, and clear blue water. The beach is considered a rock climber haven in the city. It has several climbing schools thus allowing sport-climbing lessons especially for climbers with little experience. Apart from rock climbing, the beach offers snorkeling, swimming, and gorgeous scenery to the tourists. Another top beach in Thailand is Long Beach, which is located on the island of Koh Lanta. It has restaurants and it’s considered to be one of the widest beaches in Thailand. The list of top beaches in Thailand is long and the above are just examples of the best beaches in the country.
The coastal regions of Thailand are faced with pollution both air and water. Cigarette smokers are the main polluters of air through smoke on the beaches. It is unbelievable that smokers litter cigarettes directly to the water or through gutter drainage where water passes. The beaches are also faced with plastic pollution. According to statistics, Thailand was ranked as one of the worst plastic polluting countries in the world. The country hosts international tourists and local tourists but it is so unfortunate that the tourists have shown little concern about marine pollution. The country’s coastal areas are littered with solid wastes, which include plastic cigarette butts, plastic bottles, and plastic bags. The small plastic particles known as microplastics are a great threat to marine ecosystems. However, many beaches in the world have micro-plastic particles circulated in them thus resulting in food contamination, water contamination, and toxicity.
In beaches, there is the rampant use of single-use plastics in bags, straws, and other items without proper disposal methods. Plastic littering in Thailand beaches not only compromises the aesthetic quality of the beaches but also causes serious environmental and ecological challenges.
The amount of waste and garbage in the water in the Thailand islands is big and it is unbearable. However, bans have been made to mitigate the wastes in the beaches and strict measures have been made to those violating the bans. One of the bans is cigarette smoking on the beaches, which had resulted in huge amounts of cigarette butts. Other bans are fish feeding, fishing, anchoring on coral reefs, walking on the seabed on the islands, and constructions near the beaches. The bans are enforced to preserve the coastal regions of Thailand, which have been degraded due to pollution.
To solve the pollution problem, Thailand has decided to close Maya Bay to allow the marine ecosystem and reefs to recover. Besides, the country has limited the number of boats visiting the beach. However, as the government takes steps to combat pollution issues in Thailand beaches such as closing Maya bay, local groups are also playing their part. Also, the group Eco Thailand has helped with projects by educating students, market stall owners, and the public on how to reduce waste in their community. On the other hand, the trash hero has beach initiated clean-up meetings in Thailand. It also sells reusable bags and bottles a project that has replaced around twelve million plastic bottles.
Comparing California and Thailand beaches, both countries over the best beach services, starting from swimming, rock climbing, diving, and many others. The beaches for both countries are easily accessible by either using planes, boats, or cars. The beaches have adequate parking facilities, restaurants, shops, and hotels. However, both countries face ecological and environmental problems degrading the beaches. Interestingly, both countries have put in place strict measures to mitigate marine pollution.