Thailand bans sunscreen use in marine national park

Tourists and locals who break the law will face fines of up to 100,000 baht (about 68 million VND). The law was passed amid concerns that millions of tourists flock to the country's beaches and use sunscreen containing harmful chemicals, which can disrupt the reproductive system and accelerate coral bleaching. However, it is not yet clear what checks will be put in place to ensure compliance.

Specifically, sunscreens used by tourists at the beach often contain oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzyl and butylparaben. These substances are suspected of disrupting hormones and affecting coral growth, even in small amounts. In addition, some studies have shown that common chemical UV filters found in sunscreens and cosmetics have negative impacts on marine life, especially young corals.

Another important decision the Thai government made to protect the coral reefs was the closure of Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh Island in 2018.

Corals are slow-growing living organisms, growing at a maximum of 2 cm per year. This means that the coral reefs we see when scuba diving today may have been formed over tens or hundreds of thousands of years. If corals are affected by harmful sunscreen chemicals, climate change, and environmental pollution, they may die or stop growing.

Scientists estimate that half of the world’s corals have been killed in the past 30 years and that without immediate action, 90% will be gone in the next century. With such slow growth rates, the beauty of Thailand’s coral reefs will not be seen again for several hundred generations if not protected.

To protect coral reefs in particular and marine ecosystems in general, some other tourist destinations in the world also have similar sunscreen bans, including the Pacific island of Palau and the US state of Hawaii.

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