French tourists arrested for catching protected parrotfish off Promthep Cape in Phuket

[webfact]

French tourists arrested for catching protected parrotfish

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

Six aged French tourists were arrested on Thursday afternoon with eight protected parrotfish off the popular Promthep Cape in Phuket.

 

Police from the Chalong Police Station arrested the six after their chartered long-tail boat returned to the Rawai beach.

 

They were identified as Daniel Albert, 71, Patrice Jacques Comte, 63, Jean Jacques Pierre, 61, Didier Tapin, 61, Le Cort Andre, 65, and Wemer Claudette, 66.

 

Police seized the fish and five DIY harpoon guns from the group.

 

Police were alerted that the tourists were seen harpooning fish at Koh Kaew Yai, off Promthep Cape, so they waited for them at the beach.

 

They were taken to the Chalong Police Station for legal action. Catching green humphead parrotfish, which are less than 50cm long, is unlawful and carries a fine of Bt100,000 or one year in jail or both.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30336635

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-19

[steven100]

oh dear   !    they could all die in prison .....  

[toughlove]

600k for a fish... JACKPOT!

[Darcula]

If they tried this in Paris, it would be in seine.

[Old Croc]

Again selective enforcement of fishing laws. Protected species are often pictured on these pages displayed in fish markets and at restaurants yet police rarely race to make arrests at these locations.

And who can forget the Russian woman a few years back who was locked up at the Chalong police station for feeding breadcrumbs to reef fish, The corrupt denizens of that station thought it reasonable to seek bail money at the maximum fine rate!

While a bit careless for bagging a protected species, kudos to these miscreants who are still able to dive/snorkel at an age when most of us can only reminisce. 

[Thaiwrath]

As bad (and as old) as the famous Pattaya Bridge players !

Throw the book at them ! 

Edited January 19, 2018 by Thaiwrath

[stevenl]

13 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Again selective enforcement of fishing laws. Protected species are often pictured on these pages displayed in fish markets and at restaurants yet police rarely race to make arrests at these locations.

And who can forget the Russian woman a few years back who was locked up at the Chalong police station for feeding breadcrumbs to reef fish, The corrupt denizens of that station thought it reasonable to seek bail money at the maximum fine rate!

While a bit careless for bagging a protected species, kudos to these miscreants who are still able to dive/snorkel at an age when most of us can only reminisce. 

That Russian woman a few years ago was illegally working as a tourguide. The bail money was provided by the company she was working for. The story was she was fined for feeding the fish, the real reason was she was working illegally.

 

These people arrested now were spearfishing with self made harpoons, so I very much doubt they were tourists.

[sanuk711]

4 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

kudos to these miscreants who are still able to dive/snorkel at an age

I dont think they were diving Old Crock--They were "Harpooning fish",

(-Harpooning-A barbed spear attached to a rope and thrown or fired from a gun,) If they had been diving, I wouldn't think they could have been reported by --whoever, & these harpoons were DIY ones.

Although the boat they were in was chartered , so they dont say it came with an operator ..but they usually do in which case he should certainly shoulder some of the blame.

 

[steven100]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

That Russian woman a few years ago was illegally working as a tourguide. The bail money was provided by the company she was working for. The story was she was fined for feeding the fish, the real reason was she was working illegally.

 

These people arrested now were spearfishing with self made harpoons, so I very much doubt they were tourists.

yes .....  and what TV judges don't understand is if your caught spearfishing in Australia in protected waters it's a severe penalty.  These guys knew they were spearing illegally ... 

[kcpattaya]

French elderly-home roadtrip... 

[grumbleweed]

So to recap:

Tourists 6  

Thai fishermen who've brought the industry to its knees by going after anything with gills 0

[biplanebluey]

2 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Again selective enforcement of fishing laws. Protected species are often pictured on these pages displayed in fish markets and at restaurants yet police rarely race to make arrests at these locations.

And who can forget the Russian woman a few years back who was locked up at the Chalong police station for feeding breadcrumbs to reef fish, The corrupt denizens of that station thought it reasonable to seek bail money at the maximum fine rate!

While a bit careless for bagging a protected species, kudos to these miscreants who are still able to dive/snorkel at an age when most of us can only reminisce. 

I thought they were Birds HaHa" Parrotfish?"------- Oh yea !!!!!!!!!

[webfact]

Parrotfish catching in Phuket lands six French nationals in hot water

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

The six french nationals are questioned by police. Photo: Supplied

 

PHUKET: Five Frenchmen and one French woman were arrested yesterday after they were found to have caught protected marine animals near Phromthep Cape, the southernmost point of Phuket.

 

A team from Chalong Police led by Lt Col Yokin Jankong arrested the six French nationals at 2:20pm yesterday (Jan 18). They were named as Daniel Albert, 71, Patrice Jacques Comte, 65, Jean Jacques Pierre, 61, Didier Tapin, 61, Le Cort Andre, 65 and WernerClaudette, 66.

 

Police seized from them eight parrotfish less than 50 centimetres in lentgh and five harpoons used to hunt and catch fish.

 

Full story:  https://www.thephuketnews.com/parrotfish-catching-in-phuket-lands-six-french-nationals-in-hot-water-65632.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-01-19

[Lupatria]

Pretty weird in a country that is ignoring international fishing regulations for decades. How much are the captains of their slave vessels fined for the same 'offence' catching parrot fish less than 50 centimetres in length ?

[Maejo Man]

So no photos of the undersized parrotfish? I real missed photo op for some wallopers!

Maybe the evidence was cooked and consumed already.

[heybuz]

maybe the boat skipper or operator got on the phone to the bib and advised them of a nice little earner.

[crazygreg44]

marine animals near Phromthep Cape, the southernmost point of Phuket.

 

 . . Phromthep Cape is the westermost point of Phuket

[Dukeleto]

Its really the same old tune and like back ground supermarket music its easy to forget. This story is a reminder to all expats living or visiting the Kingdom. Thailand is for the Thai's. Sure, they don't enforce most of the rules on there own folk because its their country. But foreigners arriving on their shores to do the same thing are not seen, in their eyes as the same. They would of course be happy to pillage fish in your neck of the woods, but in turn, so would you be unhappy and reporting it to your local fisheries enforcement agency if they were doing it your backyard.

 

I have done a lot of spearfishing in Phuket and never once been harassed or questioned, but at the same time I have never shot or wanted to shoot a protected or undersized species. Especially the ones they were shooting which are very easy to shoot. Its really all about respect.

[Destiny1990]

I doubt they will coming to Phuket again after paying 100k and one year jail.

[PremiumLane]

Why would you want to dive in the ocean, look at the beautiful fish, and then think, I know I will spear the little <deleted>

[aonangkrabi]

16 hours ago, crazygreg44 said:

marine animals near Phromthep Cape, the southernmost point of Phuket.

 

 . . Phromthep Cape is the westermost point of Phuket

I am sorry crazygreg but Phromthep cape is really the southernmost point of Phuket. Check google maps.

[Chongalulu]

58 minutes ago, Maejo Man said:

So no photos of the undersized parrotfish? I real missed photo op for some wallopers!

Maybe the evidence was cooked and consumed already.

They couldn’t get them to point their fins accusingly enough...

[irishken]

I think the long tail boat operator send a text to his Chalong Police buddy and said 50/50 on couple of French stooges 

[Chongalulu]

The tourists were also charged with  disrespect while  during the re-enactment they recreated the "it’s an ex parrot" scene from Monty Python.

[toughlove]

I think the long tail boat operator send a text to his Chalong Police buddy and said 50/50 on couple of French stooges 

No way! The bib were just standing casually on the beach shooting the breeze when one of them said "hey somchai I bet there is a parrot fish..

[hobobo]

4 hours ago, toughlove said:

600k for a fish... JACKPOT!

They got 8 fish, so at only 167,000 per fish it's a bargain, lol

[toughlove]

They got 8 fish, so at only 167,000 per fish it's a bargain, lol

Hopefully they didn't light up a smoke on the beach due to stress.. Another 600k [emoji23]

[champers]

Small fry. With chips?

[shackleton]

The police won't let them off the hook on this one 

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, aonangkrabi said:

I am sorry crazygreg but Phromthep cape is really the southernmost point of Phuket. Check google maps.

 

Actually Phromthep is famous for being the most westerly place in Thailand.