Private Boat News

Phuket Tourism News May 2024, Krabi Islands closed, Phuket Traffic & Jet Skis

PTN is back and Shaun and Jay are here to discuss all things Phuket Tourism News.

In this edition we talk about the crazy Phuket Traffic situation, Krabi closing many islands, Jet ski round up and Jay comes up with as many Mushroom Jokes as possible.

Krabi Islands Closed

The Krabi national park authorities has made a decision to close many islands for snorkeling and diving, after a survey in the national park area, showed there was evidence of an increase of severe coral bleaching around many islands.

Islands in Krabi that will be temporarily closed for snorkeling are:

• Kai Island (Chicken Island) in the north, east and west (Kang Kao Bay/Bat Bay)
• Poda Island in the north, and Pu Ya Bay
• Dang Island (Red Island), Railay Bay (Bird Nest Island or Happy Island)
• Yawasam Island

Phuket Traffic worries

As expected, due to the Heroine’s monument road works, its better to add about 1 or 2 hours to your travel time if you’re heading north to anywhere near the airport from anywhere south like Chalong.

What’s the reason for all this road works?

The Department of Highways has announced a B2 billion project to build a three-lane underpass under the Heroines Monument to alleviate traffic in the area. This project will take 2 to 3 years and although it will help the traffic situation in 2 year’s time many locals and residences are not looking forward to 2 years of traffic issues.

Read more here

Illegal Phuket jet-skis, ‘jet cars’ targeted in Yamu crackdown

A multi-agency task force has fined jet-ski operators for operating illegal jet-skis in Yamu Bay and the area off Ao Por, including Koh Rang, Koh Rang Noi and Naka Island, off the east coast of Phuket.

Jet skis are allowed but they need to be registered and licensed and they are not allowed within certain Phuket Waters.

Phuket authorities have located 26 illegal jet skis after numerous complaints from concerned residents and hotel operators in the north of the island. Officials were also on the lookout for “Jet Cars,” reportedly being used in the same areas off Ao Por and the Phang Nga islands off the north-eastern coastline.

Read More here

Phuket Mushrooms

Are Mushrooms legal in Thailand?

A directive referred to opium and psilocybin mushrooms, better known as magic mushrooms for their hallucinogenic effects when eaten, as narcotics on the Category 5 list, which are not extracts of marijuana and hemp.

The Thai ministry removed kratom, marijuana and hemp from the Category 5 list, leaving only opium, magic mushrooms and extracts from marijuana and hemp with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) level higher than 0.2% as drugs on the list.

The directive said the Public Health Ministry determined that the drugs on Narcotics Category 5 list apart from marijuana and hemp extracts should be allowed for consumption for medical purposes and for medical research.