Bangkok/Phi Phi Islands: The blaring of a lifeguard’s whistle pierces the air at Maya Bay, an hour’s speedboat ride across the Andaman Sea from Phuket.
His attention is fixed on several over-enthusiastic Instagrammers who have strayed too far into the azure water to pose for a memento of their visit.
There is no swimming allowed these days at the iconic cove, made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach and recently opened by Thai authorities for the first time since 2018. Nor is it permitted to venture in further than ankle-deep.
Tourists return to Maya Bay after a four-year absence.Credit:Reuters
These selfie regulations are among a range of new measures designed to protect the marine ecosystem of one of Thailand’s most well-known tourist attractions, which for years was trashed, forcing its eventual closure.
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