The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources will next month build a man-made dive site near the Khao Lak-Lamru National Park in Phangnga's Takua Pa district.
One of the highlights of this project for scuba diving activities will be the placement of a Harley–Davidson motorcycle under the sea where divers can take photographs.
The department recently announced the project will be under the patronage of HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana.
The princess is well-known for her efforts to help conserve coral reef and marine life in the Thai sea.
Last December, the princess made a private diving trip to the Similan Islands and visited the site, the department said, adding that she found the project to be in line with her passion for marine conservation.
The department is working with various agencies as well as Harley-Davidson Motor Company and once the construction is complete, this new dive site at the Andaman Sea will be able to attract divers from around the world.
Pitul Panchaiyaphum, director of the Marine Resources and Coastal Conservation and Rehabilitation Division, said the Harley-Davidson motorcycle exhibition under the sea will be one part of the learning park at Khao Lak, at which decommissioned ships and mining trawlers have already been placed under the sea.
Mr Pitul said once the construction is complete, it will be a significant landmark for divers who will be able to take photos in a unique landscape. It is not yet known how many people are expected to visit the site.
"Divers can spend more than a day at the site. Having a Harley-Davidson motorcycle placed in the sea will make the project an important landmark in the province," he said, adding that the site will be able to accommodate many divers from the nearby Similan Islands, one of the most visited diving areas in the country.
Mr Pitul said the motorcycle will be attached to a cement base modelled in the shape of a lotus.
