Thailand authorities decides to indefinitely extend closure of beautiful Maya Bay

Authorities in Thailand say they have decided to indefinitely extend the closure of a beautiful bay made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio movie "The Beach" until it recovers from years of environmental damage caused by too many tourists.

They had announced in March that tourists would be barred from Maya Bay from June 1 to Sept. 30.

An official announcement published Monday in the Royal Gazette says the bay, part of a national park, will now be closed "from October 1, 2018, onwards until the marine natural resources return to their normal condition."

Maya Bay had remained open year-round to meet tourist demand since a Hollywood crew set foot there in 1999, while other marine national parks are shut annually for four months.

(With inputs from agencies.)