Significant Progress of the Project of Majesty the Queen’s Royal-Initiated Coastal Natural Resources Rehabilitation (Artificial Coral)

As of Royal Thai Army (RTA) has supported the Project of Majesty the Queen’s Royal-Initiated Coastal Natural Resources Rehabilitation (Artificial Coral) by providing 69 obsolete T-69 tanks for the Project. These obsolete tanks were placed under the sea to form lines of artificial coral which, in turn, helps in stimulating the public awareness of rehabilitation of the coastal natural resources and officially offers as the charity contributed started by Majesty the Queen since August, 7th 2010. The project is located along the coastal of Kaluwarneay, the District of Maung, and Narathiwat Province.

In order to monitor the progress of the ongoing one year project as commanded by RTA’s Commander in Chief, Directorate of Civil Affairs (DOCA) had invited mass media from press offices in Thailand to be a part of monitoring operation in witnessing positive development of coastal ecology in the project area during August 3^rd-6^th, 2011. The monitoring operation was efficiently supported by many RTA’s organic units as follows;

• Office of the Army Comptroller provided a budget for aircraft fuel
• Quartermaster Department provided 2,580 Liters of aircraft fuel
• Department of Army Transportation provided Bell 212-helicopters to transport mass media from Bangkok to Narathiwat
• Field Engineer Department provided a scuba team with driving equipments
• Forth Army Area provided security, accommodation, food and land transportation
• Army Television Station provided public relation, developing news scoop, and managing activities for mass media

Presently, environment of coastal ecology in the project areas rehabilitated by artificial coral has shown positive sign of coastal natural resources improvement such as significantly increasing of shoals of fish, especially, fishes that are never seen before in this area, a lot of shells and sea cucumbers attaching to the metal surface of the tanks. This evolution is quite fast developed in only a period of 1 year and is considered successful. Additionally, the evolution has enhanced local fishery because local small fishery boats are able to reach the area and cultivate more fish. Fortunately, large fishery boats are not able to conduct fishery operations because they are blocked by the lines of artificial coral made by the obsolete tanks. Many tourists are interested and travel for driving at the site which can be claimed the only artificial coral of Thailand. These tourism activities, as well, enhance local economy.

DOCA has coordinately announced this developed evolution of the Project of Majesty the Queen’s Royal-Initiated Coastal Natural Resources Rehabilitation (Artificial Coral) to all mass media in Thailand so that they can publicized to the public to acknowledge this significant progress of the project and aware of the Role of RTA in conservation of coaster natural resources.