Thai Marine National Park Entry Fees Increases

Similan Islands National Park

I posted last month about a likely increase in marine park fees and those increases have been confirmed this week.

The new entrance fees for the Similan National Park is 500 baht and for the Surin National Park (which includes Richelieu Rock) it is also 500 baht.

This will affect all liveaboards, diving day trips and snorkeling day trips into the Similan and Surin national parks from October 2012 onwards.

The daily diving fee has been held at 200 baht per day. So, for example, a diver on a typical 4 day liveaboard to the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock would pay 1,800 baht in park fees made up off 500 baht Similans entry fee, 500 baht Surin entry fee plus 4 days diving at 200 baht per day. A snorkeler on the same trip would just pay 1000 baht in entrance fees.

Note that these are the prices for foreign tourists. Thai national pay less.

Similan and Surin National Park Rises?

According to this article posted in the Bangkok Post entrance fees to Thailand's National Parks are due to rise from October. That will include our favourite dive locations like the Similan Islands Marine National Park, Surin Islands Marine National Park and Phi Phi Islands Marine National Park.

Local dive operators have had no official confirmation of the new prices which will be different for Thai nationals and foreign tourists.

The current national park entry fee for Similans and Surin national parks is 400 baht and is said to be rising 50 to 100 baht. The current diving fee is 200 baht per day and there is no indication that this will rise.

We are also still waiting for information on how the extra funds raised will be used in the national parks. Common feedback from our diving customers is that they are happy to pay national park fees anywhere in the world if they can see those fees being used to protect the local marine environment. But in Thailand they are often disappointed to see fishing boats within national boundaries and fishing nets on reefs.

More information as soon as we have it.