PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: Unusually low tides were reported at Koh Talu in tambon Sai Thong of Bang Saphan Noi district from last Friday to Tuesday, with sunlight bleaching the exposed coral.
The low tides were the lowest in a year, lasting several hours at a time and exposing various kinds of coral, giant clams, sea urchins and sea cucumbers, Paopipat Charoenpak, secretary-general of the Siam Marine Rehabilitation Foundation, said on Wednesday.
They were bleached by the sun, he said.
The effects were seen on reefs about 500 metres off beaches on Koh Talu over a combined distance of about two kilometres, nearly right around the island, he said.
The phenomenon began last Friday and peaked on Monday and Tuesday. Low tides started to be higher again on Wednesday, Mr Paopipat said.
Normally, unusually low tides there occurred on only day and lasted less than an hour. This year they were from 9am-1pm and were repeated on several days, he said.
He said the Hydrographics Department was predicting the phenomenon would recur next month.
