All Posts in "Environment"

24 Years of Wildlife Conservation Marked at Laguna Phuket Sea Turtle Conservation 2018

40 young sea turtles were released into the tranquil waters of the Andaman Sea to begin their lifetime ocean odysseys at Laguna Phuket’s 24th annual sea turtle release in the morning of Sunday, 1 April on Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) beachfront in Phuket, Thailand.

Led by Mr. Norraphat Plodthong, Phuket Governor, the beach ceremony was part of Laguna Phuket’s on-going environmental partnership with Phuket Marine Biological Centre and the 3rd Area Naval Command, Royal Thai Navy to help the plight of endangered sea turtles.

Proceeds from sea turtle release tickets and other activities including merchandise sales at the event will be put towards the Centre’s sea turtles conservation programmes. To date, 2,105 sea turtles have been released by Laguna Phuket and 7 million Baht raised since 1994.

Over the course of 24 years, more than 4,500 people have participated in the initiative. The half-day activities include a visit to sea turtles nursery ponds, rescue ponds and sea turtle conservation trail where participants, mostly families with young children, were being briefed on the importance of wildlife conservation.

“Our ultimate goal is to actively engage, educate and inspire our guests, associates, community members and the general public that we all play a vital role in sea turtles and eco-system protection,” said Mr. Anthony Loh, SAVP of Laguna Phuket,

“We hope that this experience will encourage the young generations to be lifelong advocates of wildlife conservation and environmental preservation.” he concluded.

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) can live for up to 60 years and spend their lives roaming the world’s oceans. Only the females ever come ashore again to nest. For more information, visit www.lagunaphuket.com/CSR

Phuketindex team by — April 6, 2018 in Environment 0
New Life for 55 Marine Turtles During Songkran Festival

Phuket, Thailand – 2 April, 2018: The Mai Khao Marine Turtles Foundation in collaboration with JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa and its partners, will be hosting the 9th annual Mai Khao Marine Turtles Release Ceremony, which is scheduled during the Songkran Festival on April 13, from 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm. Mr. Norraphat Plodthong, Phuket Governor together with Ms. Kanokkritika Kritwuttikorn, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Phuket Office and representatives from its business partners will be a guest of honour and be part of the Thai New Year celebration.

Furthermore, the Mai Khao Turtle Foundation also has organized the exclusive Turtle release programs on April 15 from 9 am – 10 am together with IUCN. The event is supported by the Phuket Marine Biological Center and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Taking place on the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa’s beachfront, the 9th Mai Khao Marine Turtles release ceremony will see 55 new batches of rehabilitated green turtles introduced their natural life in the Andaman Sea, where they belong. Sea turtles represent longevity in Thai culture and releasing animals to nature is believed to bring good luck to the participant.
Phuket residents and hotel guests are invited to join what promises to be a fun, family-oriented and inspirational experience. In doing so they will be helping to protect the area’s endangered turtle population.

Every THB 5,000 raised through donations and additional money raised during the event will go towards supporting the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation and its partners: the Phuket Marine Biological Centre’s injured Turtle Rehabilitation Program and the Third Naval Area Command’s Turtle Hatchery Program.

For more information about the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, please contact The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, via email info@maikhaomarineturtlefoundation.org or call +66 076 338 000 ext. 3309. https://www.facebook.com/maikhaomarineturtlefoundation

Phuketindex team by — April 2, 2018 in Environment 0
Renaissance Phuket supports worldwide earth hour movement for the environment by going dark for one hour

Phuket, Thailand – March 26, 2018 – Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa went dark for one hour on March 24 to shine a light on climate action in support of Earth Hour 2018. The hotel joined millions around the world in turning off its lights at 8:30 p.m. local time to illuminate a powerful message about environmental awareness and action. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) created the annual global environmental awareness event 11 years ago to emphasize the threat of climate change.

Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa participated by turning off non-essential lights, lighting candles at the bar, playing unplugged music, and serving complimentary green drinks from 8.30 pm. – 9.30 pm. Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa will also participate in Marriott International’s drive to raise funds.

“It’s a privilege for us to support Earth Hour because it echoes Marriott International’s global focus on the environment” said Denise Naguib, Vice President of Sustainability and Supplier Diversity. “Today, business plays a critical role in taking on our world’s most pressing social and environmental issues, including climate change. Earth Hour reflects a philosophy we aim to practice year-round through our sustainability & social impact platform, Serve 360.”

Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa is located at 555 Moo 3, Mai Khao, Talang, Phuket, Thailand,
t. (66) 76-363-999. Online: www.renaissancephuket, twitter.com/renphuket.

Phuketindex team by — March 27, 2018 in Environment 0
Spirit to Serve at Thab Pla Village, Mangrove Reforestation in Phan Nga

Spirit to serve at mangrove reforestation in Thab Pla, Phan Nga province has continued for this year on it’s 1st quarter on March 8th. With collaboration of Marriott members in Phuket, there are more members joining due to their hotel ’s expansion. A group of 120 members from 9 Marriott Hotels were gathered to this event including the media. There were JW Marriott Phuket, JW Marriott Khao Lak, Renaissance Phuket, Marriott Vacation Club Phuket Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach, Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Merlin Beach, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, The Naka Island Resort and Spa Phuket and The Westin Siray Bay Resort and Spa Phuket.

For the fact of quarterly plantation, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) expected to plug 4,000 of young mangroves each time in order to expand and complete each zone per visit. The volunteers will be instructed by IUCN’s representative, planting the Mangrove and has their basic knowledge of how mangrove trees support us in the future. The plugging one mangrove, we place them 1.5 meter on spacing between each of them. To complete 1 rai (1600sqm), the 700 trees estimated to cover the area. This means each quarter, we will expand 5.7 rai (9,120 sqm). However weather forecast and tide time are important during the visit. The goal of year 2018 is to continue planting to cover 43 rai of Thab Pla Villag. This is no too far to compete as this project has started since 2016 and the team plan to see their cover all area in the end quarter.

Phuketindex team by — March 27, 2018 in Environment 0
Switched Lights Off at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

Phuket, Thailand – 24 March, 2018: Lights were switched off all around the world in support of protecting the planet and #connect2Earth campaign of Earth Hour, a worldwide movement organized by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa joined forces again and participated in this campaign by switching off lights at the resort for an hour at 8:30 p.m. local time.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa turned off exterior signage lighting and non-essential interior lighting in appropriate public areas from 8.30 – 9.30 pm.

Guests enjoyed the unplug live music by our resident band and lit candles in the symbolic lights-off “Earth Hour 60+” together at Out of the Blue Drink Bar
Bartender created special cocktails ‘Protect The Planet’ for this occasion.
Bartender created special cocktails ‘Connect 2 Earth’ for this occasion.
Phuketindex team by — March 26, 2018 in Environment 0
Marriott Associates and IUCN Together for Mangrove Reforest in Phang Nga Province

PHUKET, THAILAND – 15 March 2018 – JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa team along with 108 representatives from Southern Marriott in collaboration with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), took part in ‘Mangrove Planting 2018’, at Baan Tab Pla, Phang Nga Province, and planted 4,000 mangrove saplings. As part of our Marriott’s “Serve 360: Doing Good In Every Direction.” – global commitment to sustainability and environmental strategy. This year, we plan to plant 20,000 mangrove saplings in Phang Nga, Rayong, Samut Sakorn and Samui. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa continues to support our local communities through mangrove reforestation.

Ms. Khanisthanee Kanhdanisdha (1st left, green), Director of Human Resources along with hotel associates of JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa together with representatives from Southern Marriott in collaboration with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) planted 4,000 mangrove in Baan Tab Pla, Phang Nga Province
Ms. Kanokwan Homcha-aim, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
Phuketindex team by — March 16, 2018 in Environment 0
Asean conference on reducing marine debris @ JW Marriott Phuket

Phuket – 23 November, 2017: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental of Thailand hosts “The ASEAN Conference on the ASEAN Conference on Reducing Marine Debris in ASEAN Region”, from 22 – 23 November, at the JW Marriot Phuket Resort & Spa, Phuket province, Thailand.

On this occasion, H.E. General Surasak Karnjanarat, Minister of The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of Thailand presided over the ASEAN Conference on reducing Marine Debris in ASEAN region. The welcome addressed by guest of honored Mr. Sanit Sriwihok, Vice Governor of Phuket; Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand; H.E. Mr. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASCC, ASEAN Secretariat.

Asean conference on reducing marine debris in Asean region takes place @JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
H.E. General Surasak Karnjanarat, Minister of The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of Thailand presided over the ASEAN Conference on reducing Marine Debris in ASEAN region
Asean conference on reducing marine debris in Asean region takes place @JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
Welcome addressed by Mr. Sanit Sriwihok, Vice Governor of Phuket Province, Thailand

Three hundred marine experts from 10 ASEAN member countries and representatives from ASEAN countries’ environmental ministries, an official representative from China, academic experts in marine studies and international conservation groups have participated the 2-day conference which conference and exhibition on first day and continue to the workshop, site visit and research group discussion on the second day.

The conference aims to gather inputs from a broad range of stakeholders and identify how marine debris issues in ASEAN could be addressed through global partnership and multi-partner and cross-sectoral cooperation mechanism and raise the awareness of ASEAN community on marine debris issue through side events.

This conference is a great opportunity to create a platform to fight marine pollution together in the ASEAN region since six ASEAN countries rank among those guilty of excessive littering of the sea. The participants will share their ideas and discuss plans to solve this problem.

The background: Marine debris has been recognized as one of the key environmental issues at the global level and within ASEAN region. Measures and cooperation to reduce marine debris/litter shall be initiated to prevent lives under water from being harmed, which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water, on conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas, and marine resources; and with the ASEAN vision 2025 particularly on the management of biodiversity and natural resources for sustainable development.

Three-quarters of all marine debris is made up of various forms of plastic (Barnes et al. 2009). A recent study estimates that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastics are dumped into the ocean in 2010 (Jambeck et al., 2015). Inadequate waste management on land has caused 80% of marine debris originated from land.

Marine debris is transported by oceans currents across borders. As such, it is a transboundary concern, requiring collaborative action and regional cooperation (UNEP, 2016). Approximately 70% of ASEAN human population lives in coastal areas and intensive farming and aquaculture, rapid urbanization and industrialization, greater shipping traffic and fishing effort, as well as widespread deforestation and nearshore development, are contributing towards the pollution problem. Four out of the top six most marine polluting countries are in ASEAN (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand). ‘Hot Spots’ of floating plastic have been observed in coastal waters adjacent to countries with high coastal populations and inadequate waste management in South-East Asia (Peter Ryan 2013).

Phuketindex team by — November 23, 2017 in Environment 0