Similans/Surins National Park fees

[cmdasia]

I am interested in asking those posters who work for liveaboard operators in Phuket what their company policy is regarding the National Park fees, namely:

1) why are NP fees not included in the base trip cost?
2) do you charge fees per day or per day in the NP?
3) as Richeliue and Koh Bon are not in the National Park what is your policy on this (note: I ask because I have been charged the NP fee for days on these sites by 3 operators before finding out they are not NP sites)
4) does the NP fee actually go to the NP office or to the boat operator/capt?

I would happily dive with anyone who could give me an a straightforward answer.


Many Thanks

 

[scuba734]

cmdasia
I'll try to answer your questions from my own experiences and what I have learned :
1. The fee is or is not added in the basic trip cost, depends solely on the operator, or on that specific trip. I had been with operator who charged the fee in the basic trip cost and with those who did not. I would prefer not to add teh NP in the basic trip cost, cause the trip may not go according to plan, and it may not be very easy to get your money back.

2. The NP fee is charged per day on the number of days you spend diving in the NP territory, not the number of days on the trip.

3. I am not sure that those 2 sites you mention are not in in the NP, I'll do some more checking and do a follow up.

4. The fee does go to the NP main office, will look up the correct name of this Government Department, but that does notmean that the money collected from one NP will go directly to that NP. From my understandin, the fee is treated like a budget, that the NP has to submit projects for funding. WIll also ask for more detail answer, if you like.

Better, I'll get Talathai.com to help.
Are these answers straight enough for you to come dive with me? I'll be doing Krabi area and Koh Yoong during 5-7 December, kidding na ka.

 

[scuba734]

cmdasia
Have consulted an expert, Dr. Thorn from Talaythai, and these are his answers :
1. Richeliue is not included in the NP area, even though lots of concerned organizations have fought for this for the last 4 years. Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are under Similan NP.

2. On the fee collected, I made a boo boo. Please use this one as the correct answer.
The money collected is not treated as the government budget, but as an independent fund for that NP. The money can be used on the following expenses :
- for daily expenses which are not covered, or not sufficiently covered in the budget, such as fuel for the guard boats
- for conservation projects at that NP, such as those buoys that the diving boats use. These are not supported by the government budget, but each NP has to find ways and means to do it on their own. For this diving season, Surin and Similan NP already spent 3 million Baht on those buoys.
- if by the end of the season/fiscal year, the unused portion must be returned to the government.

Will you come diivng with me now?

 

[Batfish]

Yes, the issue of Park fees is a touchy one for operators. Before last year there was only a 200 Baht entry fee per person, which was included in all trip prices. However, now the fees are :

200 Baht entry fee PLUS
200 Baht per day

So for the 1st day you have a 400 Baht fee. If a boat leaves and re enters the Similan National Park during the same trip, they (in theory) must pay the entry fee again. Many boats run a schedule where they dive Similan then up to Richelieu, Koh Bon and Tachai, then back to Similan.

As an agent, I wish all operators had the same policy, but still some include the fees in the price, some charge 800 Baht and some charge 1,000 Baht.

The fees are collected by the National Park and they are very strict on it now. The DOCT (Dive Operators Club of Thailand) is your best source to ask questions about what they do with the money.

Really there is no simple straightforward answer. Each boat has a different fee, so just make sure you know what you are expected to pay before you get on board.

Diving in Phuket

 

[cmdasia]

Many Many thanks to both of you - I really appreciate it - looks like I owe you both a dive!

Chris