A previously unknown reef has been discovered off Thailand's west coast by research divers who became curious about comments made by local fishermen.

The team, from WWF Thailand's Marine & Coastal Conservation Unit, first dived the area in January and found two coral-reef sections totalling some 6.7 square kilometres, not far from Hadd Tay Muang National Park Office in Phang-nga Province.

Since then some 30 types of hard coral have been found, their health described as ranging "from poor to fair to good", with the healthiest and greatest diversity in the 7-9m depth range. So far the divers have counted "at least" 112 fish species from 56 main families.

Discoveries have included the parrotfish Chlorurus rakaura, seen in Sri Lankan waters but not previously in Thailand, and a rare type of sweetlips Plectorhincus macrospilus only spotted before in the Similan Islands. Damselfish are the most common species, particularly Neopomacentrus cyanomos found grouped around larger coral masses.

Plans are underway to ensure controlled, sustainable diving on the reefs, which can be accessed easily by dive operators in the popular diving area of Khao Lak - one of the regions hit hard by the December 2004 Tsunami.

A management scheme for the area, which may be added to national marine park acreage, is being developed by WWF, the Department of National Parks, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, local communities and the dive operators.

In mid-February, assisted by the Royal Thai Navy, 20 divers cleared marine debris from the reef. More surveys are to be undertaken, damaged sections treated, and mooring buoys laid down for the dive boats. A proposal has been made to steer a portion of diving fees to conservation-orientated community projects.

The discovery may not be the last. "I believe discussions with fishermen over a wider area will lead us to discover even more important reefs, not yet mapped or protected by the authorities," said Songpol Tippayawong, Head of the WWF Thailand Marine and Coastal Conservation Unit.

Further undiscovered areas of coral may lie further to the south, perhaps linked with Phuket's Mai Khaw reef, found by the Prince of Songkla University's Coral Research Unit in 1999.


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