<h5>Island closed by Thailand!</h5><p>Thailand’s Koh Pling, also known as Pling Island, attracts tourists from around the world for its clear blue waters and greenery. Visitors can walk on the beaches and enjoy the marine life.</p><p>However, the island has been temporarily closed down by Thai authorities due to mass coral bleaching. The decision was taken because the authorities wanted to save the environment.</p><p>Pling Island's closure also comes at a time when temperatures have increased across Thailand and Asia due to a recent heatwave.</p><h5>Coral bleaching! What’s that?</h5><figure class="image"><img alt="Bleached coral.jpg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/newsahoot.appspot.com/Bleached_coral_cf5a53da5a.jpg"><figcaption>Coral turned white due to coral bleaching. Photo by Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0</figcaption></figure><p>Corals are colourful in nature. Their bright colours come from algae that live within the corals. They form a symbiotic relationship, helping each other survive.</p><p>But did you know that corals can get stressed? No, they are not stressed due to exams, work pressures, etc. They can get stressed due to environmental changes, such as rising ocean water temperatures.</p><p>This stress causes them to expel the algae, which causes the coral to fade and turn white as if bleached. If the temperature doesn’t decrease, the coral won’t let the algae back and eventually die.</p><p>The main reason for coral bleaching is climate change. Ocean temperature rises as the planet warms up, causing the corals to expel the algae. Bleaching can also happen for reasons like pollution, too much sunlight, etc.</p><p>Also, general sunscreens are not good for corals as they contain chemicals (oxybenzone) that can cause coral bleaching. Remember, whenever you go swimming in the sea, wear oxybenzone-free sunscreen so that you don’t harm marine life.</p><h5>Importance of corals.</h5><div class="raw-html-embed"><figure> <iframe width="100%" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ctFbYqyLU6o" title="Why are coral reefs so important? | Problem Solved" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><figcaption>A video on corals. Video by Mongabay.</figcaption></figure></div><p>A group of corals form coral reefs that help protect our coastlines from storms and erosion. They act as natural barriers that absorb the force of storms and strong waves, keeping coastal communities safe.</p><p>They also act as a source of food for various marine creatures. Since coral reefs attract many fish, they can serve as fishing grounds. People can catch those fish to eat and to earn money by selling them. It can also attract tourists, which can help develop local businesses.</p><h5>Effects of coral bleaching!</h5><figure class="image"><img alt="coral.jpg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/newsahoot.appspot.com/coral_5d39bd4009.jpg"><figcaption>Colourful corals. Photo by The Scientist.</figcaption></figure><p>Coral bleaching can cause corals to die, which can affect coral reefs. This, in turn, affects the entire reef ecosystem, on which many humans and marine animals depend.</p><p>Thankfully, corals can recover from bleaching with time as the temperature decreases and ocean conditions return to normal.</p><p>By closing the island and limiting human activity in the area, Thailand hopes the coral population will improve.</p>

Pling Island is a tourist-friendly location attracting visitors from around the world.

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Thailand Closes Tourist-Friendly Island

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