The event was presided over by Adisak Tantiwong, President of the Appeal Court, who was joined by executives of the Appeal Court, members of the Andaman Natural Resources Conservation Foundation, local government representatives, private sector partners and volunteers.
Participants not only helped release turtles, but also took part in cleaning up the beach and raising awareness about marine conservation.
Organisers emphasised that protecting sea turtles plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems, with turtles contributing to the control of jellyfish populations, the health of seagrass beds, and the nourishment of coastal beaches through their nesting activities.
Samran Sinthong, Secretary-General of the Andaman Natural Resources Conservation Foundation, and Pemika Sisakhukam, Deputy Director of Phuket Airport’s Business Support Division, also attended the event alongside officials from Sirinat National Park.
The activity was organised in advance of World Sea Turtle Day, which is marked globally today (June 16) and commemorates the birthday of Dr Archie Carr, the American biologist who pioneered global sea turtle conservation efforts and founded the Sea Turtle Conservancy.
The event forms part of wider efforts to promote marine conservation in line with Thailand’s adoption of the Green Economy BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) Model, which aims to expand marine protected areas, safeguard endangered marine species such as turtles and dugongs, and encourage coastal communities to participate in sustainable resource management, said an official report of the event.
The Phuket event followed Thailand’s participation in the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held in Nice, France, from June 9-13.
Thai delegates from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) and GISTDA joined over 15,000 participants from around the world to endorse the ‘Our Oceans, Our Future: Uniting for Urgent Action’ declaration.
The declaration calls for accelerated efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14), addressing climate change impacts, promoting sustainable marine economies and advancing the BBNJ Agreement on ‘biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction’. However, Russia expressed formal objections to certain sections of the agreement.
The next UN Ocean Conference (UNOC4) is scheduled to be co-hosted by Chile and South Korea in 2028.