PUBLISHED : 24 Nov 2025 at 08:14
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A diver dangles a wristband in front of a sea turtle at Mu Ko Similan. (Photo from a Facebook page)
Park officials are searching for a visitor accused of feeding a wristband to a sea turtle at Mu Ko Similan National Park.
The incident surfaced on Saturday after the park received a Facebook message from a tourist who had visited the site the previous day. While diving around Islands 5 and 6, the tourist reported seeing another visitor extend a wristband towards a turtle and encourage it to eat. Experts warned the act could prove fatal to the protected species.
Park chief Siriwat Suebsai said an academic and recreation team, together with the diving operations unit, began searching for the animal. They coordinated with veterinarians from the Upper Andaman Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre and the Marine National Park Education and Research Centre 2 (Phuket).
About 3.19pm, divers found the turtle near Islands 5 and 6 and brought it to Thap Lamu Pier for examination.
Meanwhile, the park has contacted the tour company to identify the culprit. A reward has been offered for information leading to the offender. Athapol Charoenshunsa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, has also ordered stricter enforcement of wildlife‑safety rules across national parks.