Vocabulary Quiz: Word Matching

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Questions and Answers

What does the word 'stings' have in common with?

courtesy

flocks

creep (correct)

steam

Which word is most closely related to 'bargain' in meaning?

courtesy (correct)

wreck

signature

invented

What is the antonym of the word 'starved'?

wreck

flocks

creep

steam (correct)

What does the word 'signature' have in common with?

invented Signup and view all the answers

Which word is most closely related to 'wreck' in meaning?

starved Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the national park where Maya Bay is located?

Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the actor who starred in the 2000 film The Beach, which featured Maya Bay as a location?

Leonardo DiCaprio Signup and view all the answers

What is the reason for the decline in tourism in Thailand?

Beijing’s draconian COVID restrictions Signup and view all the answers

What is the description of the beach in Maya Bay?

An exquisite, 250-meter white crescent strand Signup and view all the answers

Why is the current crowd in Ton Sai Bay troubling to the Thai guide?

Because it is not even half of what it was before the pandemic Signup and view all the answers

What is the current situation with Chinese tourists in Thailand?

They are not present due to Beijing’s COVID restrictions Signup and view all the answers

What is the concern about the revival of tourism in Thailand?

That it will lead to overtourism Signup and view all the answers

What led to the closure of Maya Bay to tourists in June 2018?

The damage caused by tourist boats and trampling of the sea floor Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Maya Bay as a tourist attraction?

It is a location from a famous movie Signup and view all the answers

What is the current maximum number of tourists allowed in Maya Bay per hour?

380 Signup and view all the answers

Why were tourist boats banned from approaching Maya Bay?

To protect the coral reefs from damage Signup and view all the answers

According to Thon Thamrongnawasawat, what percentage of Maya Bay's coral reefs were alive when the bay was closed in 2018?

8% Signup and view all the answers

What is happening to the coral reefs during the three-year closure of Maya Bay?

They are being replanted with new coral pieces Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the replanted coral pieces have survived during the three-year closure?

50% Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the lagoon where tourist boats are now taking tourists?

Pileh Lagoon Signup and view all the answers

What is the problem with the water at Pileh Lagoon?

It is too polluted with plastic bottles and cigarette butts Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Thai Tourism

Ton Sai Bay in Phi Phi islands is a popular tourist destination, but the crowd size has decreased since the pandemic began in 2020.
The absence of Chinese tourists, who were Thailand's biggest tourism market, has significantly impacted the industry.
Despite the crowds, a local guide expressed concern that the current number of tourists is only half of what it was before the pandemic.

Maya Bay

Maya Bay, a famous cove on Phi Phi Leh, is part of the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.
The bay was made famous by Danny Boyle's 2000 film The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The influx of tourists after the movie's release damaged the coral and scared off the blacktip reef sharks that used the bay as a mating pool.
Authorities closed Maya Bay to tourists in June 2018 and reopened it in January this year with limited visitors (380 per hour) and restricted activities (no swimming, no boat approaches).

Environmental Concerns

Despite the new measures, Maya Bay was "inundated" during the Songkran holiday in April, prompting its closure again for two months.
The bay's coral reefs have been severely damaged, with only 8% of the reefs alive when the bay was closed in 2018.
Conservation efforts have replanted tens of thousands of new coral pieces, with about 50% of those surviving.

Overtourism

The islands' small size and restricted infrastructure make it difficult to cope with large numbers of tourists.
The negative impact of overtourism is evident in Pileh Lagoon, where party boats and careless daytrippers harm the environment.