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.
