In an effort to protect Thailand's coral reefs, life jacket laws have been introduced – much to the chagrin of many tourists. Life jackets make it impossible to dive down to the reefs, and the new rules also include a photography ban for non-experienced divers. 

– There are good reasons. 77 percent of all reefs in tourist areas in Thailand have some form of damage. They want to try to preserve the ones that remain, says Kid Wadström, journalist and Thailand expert, to TV4 News Morning. 

The new rules have also stirred up emotions among Thais, not least among those who make a living from snorkeling tourism, but the idea is that they will contribute to raising awareness among both tourists and Thais. 

– The rules are also aimed at boat drivers, those who run these tours. Because they don't follow any rules at all – that's the basic problem. You take 50 people, throw them into the lake and then they have to fend for themselves. Sometimes it's chaos, simply put, says Kim Wadström. 

Source: Expressen.se