The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation and its partners hosted the 7th annual Mai Khao Marine Turtle Release Ceremony on Songkran Day yesterday (Apr 13).
Phuket Vice Governor Khajornkiet Rakpanichmanee was a guest of honour and participated in the Thai New Year celebration at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa. Furthermore, the Mai Khao Turtle Foundation has also organised exclusive turtle release programmes for tomorrow and Saturday (Apr 15-16) together with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for this year. The event yesterday was supported by the Phuket Marine Biological Center and IUCN.
Songkran is also known as Thai New Year and sea turtles represent longevity in Thai culture and releasing animals to nature is believed to bring good luck to the participant. On this occasion, rehabilitated green turtles stepped into the Andaman Sea, with Phuket residents and hotel guests cheering and waving them on.
All monies have raised through donations during the event, it went towards supporting the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation and its partners: the Phuket Marine Biological Centre’s injured Turtle Rehabilitation Program and the Third Naval Area Command’s Turtle Hatchery Program.
For more information about the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, please contact Mr. Sean Panton, CoChairman & Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Marriott Thailand Business Council, email sean.panton@marriotthotels.com or Khun Kittipan, Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation Manager, via email info@maikhaoturtlefoundation.org or call 076 338 000 ext. 3383