Phuket dive tour boat banned from Phi Phi for coral damage

[snoop1130]

Phuket dive tour boat banned from Phi Phi for coral damage

The Phuket News

 

 

PHUKET:-- National park officials have banned a tour speedboat from re-entering a section of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park near Phi Phi Island after it allowed a group of divers hold a sign congratulating a Japanese diver for completing 200 dives on a coral head off the popular tourist island on Friday (Jan 26).

 

Nares Choopueng, Chief of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Krabi office, which is responsible for protecting coral reefs and other natural marine resources off Phi Phi Island, confirmed the ban to The Phuket News today (Jan 29).

 

The boat is the North Star, which operates dive tours for Happy Star Tour Co Ltd, Mr Nares confirmed.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-dive-tour-boat-banned-from-phi-phi-for-coral-damage-65763.php#dgqMyxwqvKK4SvoA.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-1-29

[stevenl]

Nothing against happy star, but it is about time behaviour like this is addressed.

Highly likely the instructor (s) involved were working for a different company, hope they go after that plus the instructor (s) as well. 

[dfdgfdfdgs]

Are they actually touching the coral?  I don't see the problem if they aren't.

[stevenl]

3 minutes ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

Are they actually touching the coral?  I don't see the problem if they aren't.

Judging by the photos, yes, they are.

[Rhys]

_{At least after the dive..
the  boat captain picked them up}

[zaZa9]

About time.

The resource is suffering badly and if mans assault is allowed to continue there will be nothing left for anyone to enjoy or make money from...

[Ajvat37]

This happens every day out in the similans and Surin islands with Chinese day tours, I have well over 20 photos of Chinese grabbing, standing and breaking off coral from just two days of snorkeling.  Not too mention all the plastic they toss in the water

Edited January 30, 2018 by Ajvat37

[dfdgfdfdgs]

I think the damage tourists and tour operators cause (i.e. people local to the reef) is negligible relative to the damage caused by global warming/warmer seas which is a global problem that locals really have no control over.

[farcanell]

Yes your honor, that’s correct, they held up a sign whilst being submerged in water.

 

well we can’t have that... everyone knows our belief system is firmly based on pointing

 

 

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, farcanell said:

Yes your honor, that’s correct, they held up a sign whilst being submerged in water.

 

well we can’t have that... everyone knows our belief system is firmly based on pointing

 

 

Holding up a sign is no problem, holding up a sign while damaging the marine life is.

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, Ajvat37 said:

This happens every day out in the similans and Surin islands with Chinese day tours, I have well over 20 photos of Chinese grabbing, standing and breaking off coral from just two days of snorkeling.  Not too mention all the plastic they toss in the water

Please submit your photos to Go Eco Phuket, https://www.facebook.com/goecophuket1

Edited January 30, 2018 by stevenl

[wavemanwww]

A Jap holds a sign underwater and the tour company is banned. What a joke BUT a tour boat that recklessly speeds ,has no safety standards, captain unlicensed  and no OHS rules and tourists end up dead ,,,, Well that's OK . What a joke

[farcanell]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

Holding up a sign is no problem, holding up a sign while damaging the marine life is.

 

Indeed it is.... and yet...

 

On 1/29/2018 at 5:45 PM, snoop1130 said:

after it allowed a group of divers hold a sign congratulating a Japanese diver for completing 200 dives on a coral head off the popular tourist island on Friday (Jan 26).

They should have been pointing, and then it would have been all OK.

[NamKangMan]

On 1/30/2018 at 3:57 PM, farcanell said:

Yes your honor, that’s correct, they held up a sign whilst being submerged in water.

 

well we can’t have that... everyone knows our belief system is firmly based on pointing

 

 

 

"everyone knows our belief system is firmly based on pointing" - but for a small "fee" you can hold up your sign.