Tourist ban on famous Thai beach has been extended
A tourist ban at the Thai beach made famous by a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio has been extended to 2021.
Since the release of the film, The Beach, in 2000 there has been a sharp rise in visitors to the Maya Bay, on the island of Phi Phi Leh, severely damaging the environment.
Last year officials temporarily closed the beach and now the closure has been extended to give its ecology more time to recover.
When it eventually reopens, officials plan to restrict the number of visitors and boats will be banned from mooring within the bay’s waters.
But local people have opposed the ban, saying their livelihoods are being affected.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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