Similan park fee increase

I posted last month about a likely increase in marine park fees and those increases have been confirmed this week.

The new entrance fees for the Similan National Park (which includesb Koh Bon and Koh Tachai) is 500 baht and for the Surin National Park (which includes Richelieu Rock) it is also 500 baht.

This will affect all liveaboards, diving day trips and snorkeling day trips into the Similan and Surin national parks from October 2012 onwards.

The daily diving fee has been held at 200 baht per day. So, for example, a diver on a typical 4 day liveaboard to the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock would pay 1,800 baht in park fees made up off 500 baht Similans entry fee, 500 baht Surin entry fee plus 4 days diving at 200 baht per day. A snorkeler on the same trip would just pay 1000 baht in entrance fees.

Note that these are the prices for foreign tourists. Thai national pay less.