Year in Review: Reef Check Thailand

Submitted by Suchana Apple Chavanich

During the year 2007, Reef Check Thailand was involved in several activities. In January, a Reef Check training course was conducted during the “Long-term coral reef monitoring along the Thai Andaman Coastline” workshop, with financial and logistical support provided by the CHARM project (Coastal Habitats and Resources Management). The target of the workshop was to establish a long-term coral reef monitoring program using Reef Check methods through the private dive-business sector, which will benefit local coral reef and dive-tourism management. In addition, the first Reef Check Training of Trainers (ToT) course was launched in May at Krabi Province, in the southern part of Thailand. This year, a total of 3 ToTs were conducted, and 24 instructors have been certified as EcoDiver trainers so far. Also, with the joint partnership between Reef Check Thailand and Earthwatch Institute, a number of Reef Check EcoExpeditions were run. Volunteers from all over the world joined the expeditions to help gather data on coral reefs both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Some study sites were surveyed for the first time and other sites were located in the Marine Protected Areas. Please contact suchana.c@chula.ac.th for more information.

Trainers test their skills during a checkout dive (Photo: RC Thailand)

We’re done! Newly certified EcoDivers pose for a group photo (Photo: RC Thailand)