Thailand has decided to charge scuba divers us $4.50 each time they visit popular diving spots in the Andaman Sea. The money would be used for preserving the environment. Plodprasop Suraswadi, the country's forestry department chief, said the charge would be imposed from November 2001. According to Suraswadi, his department does not have enough funds to maintain the coral reefs, which have been damaged in recent years by divers and anchors of pleasure boats. "Those who damage the corals should pay a maintenance charge," said Suraswadi.
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