KRABI – In a move to balance tourism with environmental protection, Maya Bay will implement facial recognition technology starting October 15, 2025, to streamline visitor management at the iconic destination. The announcement was made by Saengsuree Songthong, chief of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park, as part of broader efforts to enhance sustainable tourism.

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The new system will integrate with the existing e-ticket platform under Thailand’s e-National Park scheme, allowing real-time verification of visitors against pre-booked reservations. The technology will automatically differentiate between Thai and foreign nationals, as well as adults and children, reducing bottlenecks during peak seasons when daily visitor numbers can reach 4,000.

Maya Bay is among 11 pilot sites across six marine national parks selected for the facial recognition rollout. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation aims to improve fee collection transparency while enabling park rangers to focus on visitor safety and ecological preservation.

Despite current monsoon season numbers averaging 1,000 to 2,000 daily, authorities maintain a strict hourly cap of 375 visitors to mitigate environmental strain. The e-ticket system has already proven effective, generating over 391 million baht in park revenue in the first half of fiscal 2025.

KRABI – A facial recognition system will soon be adopted at Maya Bay to manage visitor flow and enhance conservation efforts, according to national park officials.

The face-scanning system will be set up at the entrance to the popular attraction and will start operating on Oct… pic.twitter.com/WNHULezKQs

— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) July 19, 2025

Saengsuree urged travelers planning high-season visits to book slots in advance and acquaint themselves with the new entry process. Fee structures remain unchanged: 40 baht for Thai adults (20 baht for children) and 400 baht for foreign adults (200 baht for children).

From August 1 to September 30, Maya Bay and adjacent Loh Samah and Lo Go bays will close for seasonal recovery—a practice instituted after the site’s ecosystem suffered severe degradation following its fame in the 2000 film The Beach. The annual monsoon closure allows marine life to regenerate while avoiding hazardous sea conditions.

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The facial recognition initiative marks the latest step in Thailand’s decades-long effort to rehabilitate Maya Bay, where coral reefs and coastal vegetation have gradually rebounded under controlled tourism measures. Park officials emphasize that the technology will help preserve the landmark while ensuring equitable access for future generations.

-Thailand News (TN)