Environmentalist slams foreign divers for disturbing sea creatures near Koh Phangan

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Where was this experts voice when Maya beach was being destroyed by his fellow countrymen for profit?

Shouldn't ask embarrassing questions.

He probably blames the tourists for destroying Maya Bay when it was only possible to destroy it because greedy Thais running tour companies made it possible to do so.

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, MRToMRT said:

He IS important!! The most important marine scientist in Thailand. He does not need to fluff himself up, he's already top of the tree.

Correct he's got you doing it for him.

[farangroby]

How strange: this doctor (of whom I fully share both the words and the concerns) I have never heard him condemn the Thais who (at least in Samui) completely destroyed the whole reef by walking over the corals, breaking them with metal sticks to obtain a few grams of oysters from it and more.

On the last Sunday, the local Trash Heroes, collected on the shore of a small portion of Ban Makham Beach 45 big black bags full of plastic, glass and cans).
This does not justify the behavior of the divers, but it would be nice if the keyword "foreigners" was also associated with "Thais"... but this will remain a chimera.

[LazySlipper]

18 hours ago, Paiman said:

I feel so guilty, I ate 3 strawberries while watching TV, it was dark outside.

 

Another Numnut who thinks he should be getting more attention.

 

 

If he were some activist back home would you be calling him numnut?

 

How about non smokers asking smokers to put it out?

 

Despite the xenophobic attitude of Thais toward us I agree with this guy.

[bodga]

9 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

Divers should know better. 

Fisherman who rely on their catch and livelihood  should  know  better than to destroy their income earning ability, divers   get no income from diving

[jak2002003]

That poor sea cucumber looks so terrified and will be traumatised for life! 

 

[stevenl]

22 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Having been a diving instructor with over 300 dives in Thai waters I would question this so called experts knowledge of diving and his remark about disturbing sea creatures sleeping by diving at night also question his practical knowledge. The reason night dives are done is many animals come out and hunt at night and plankton blumes are beautiful. While touching sea creatures well infact touching any wild animal is wrong the impact these divers made was as close to zero as you can get and the animals they interacted with are very common. Why not use your platform Mr Expert and scream about Thai fishing boats, squid night fishing, long trails, speed boats that kill some of the rarest and most beautiful of creatures in Thai waters or fishing nets covering reefs and the ocean floor trapping animals killing them especially turtles. This type of comment makes me sick when there is so much wrong with the destruction being carried out by Thais. 

 

22 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Did this so called “marine biologist expert” ever speak out about the practice of pumping sewage water straight into the ocean or has he only got a big mouth against a tourist diving at nighttime ?

 

21 hours ago, ronaldo0 said:

Yet fishing boats do absolutely nothing to the sea ! Another expert shouting listen to me bad farang !! ???? Pot - kettle , people in glass houses etc !

Nice examples of posts not knowing. He is an expert, regularly speaks out against bad fishing practices etc, is one of the people trying to restore corals and reefs. He is one of the people who got Maya Bay on pp closed from activity to recuperate.

[stevenl]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Shouldn't ask embarrassing questions.

He probably blames the tourists for destroying Maya Bay when it was only possible to destroy it because greedy Thais running tour companies made it possible to do so.

See my previous post. He is one involved who got it closed. You're way off.

[MRToMRT]

As this stories getting more info on it. It turns out they are two expats who live locally and the photos were taken inside a protected area. So they are being prosecuted.

 

For some reason immigration have got involved as well and are fining them for TM30 issues as well. I assume after arrest their immigration status was checked?? Ones a dive shop owner and the other is a chef.

 

 

Edited September 2, 2020 by MRToMRT

[connda]

The Thai authorities should go back through the archives of nature show and documentaries.  I'm sure they could put out arrests warrant for a whole lot of divers filmed 'touching' sea life.  A heinous crime in Thailand, but not in other places.  Steve Irwin, Manny Puig, Jacques Cousteau, all interacted and 'touched' sealife. 

To be honest, Thailand isn't greatest place to dive anyway.  Divers should heed and just go elsewhere. 

[ttrd]

On 9/1/2020 at 4:18 AM, keith101 said:

Yes they picked them up and then they PUT THEM BACK DOWN AGAIN not harming them which is something Marine Biologists do .

The question is he angry because they handled them or maybe they are farang ?

Hmm, I wonder what is most harmful to the sea life - dive at night with careful touching or feeding the sea with plastic all year round and not to forget the increased development of shrimp farms in mangroves ???? ...

[freestyle]

Let me get this:

Taking a dive, and touch a fish to make a selfie => jail time.
Because: "We need to respect our hosts and behave as good visitors when visiting the sea - not create trouble and not disturb life there".

But: Standing by the water with a fish line, dragging fish out the water with a hook, kill it, eat it => no problem.

And let's not forget tons of fish that get dragged out of the sea with nets every day.

[ttrd]

22 minutes ago, freestyle said:

Let me get this:

Taking a dive, and touch a fish to make a selfie => jail time.
Because: "We need to respect our hosts and behave as good visitors when visiting the sea - not create trouble and not disturb life there".

But: Standing by the water with a fish line, dragging fish out the water with a hook, kill it, eat it => no problem.

And let's not forget tons of fish that get dragged out of the sea with nets every day.

Instead of focusing on what should be done to get the tourists back, you try to get rid of the few that are left - it may be this what is called the peak of creativity ...

[KhaoNiaw]

12 hours ago, farangroby said:

I have never heard him condemn the Thais who (at least in Samui) completely destroyed the whole reef by walking over the corals, breaking them with metal sticks to obtain a few grams of oysters from it and more.

How much effort have you put in trying to find out what he's condemned or done himself? If you don't know does that say more about him or you?

[freestyle]

6 hours ago, ttrd said:

Instead of focusing on what should be done to get the tourists back, you try to get rid of the few that are left - it may be this what is called the peak of creativity ...

It's my fault Thailand has few tourists?
Damn, you're smoking something?
I'm not the one threating them with jail time for making a selfie with a fish, am I?

Edited September 2, 2020 by freestyle

[thaibeachlovers]

On 9/2/2020 at 7:17 PM, stevenl said:

See my previous post. He is one involved who got it closed. You're way off.

He'd have done better stopping them destroying it in the first place. Far as I remember it had been going on for years, and only stopped because it had got so destroyed there was no choice.

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

He'd have done better stopping them destroying it in the first place. Far as I remember it had been going on for years, and only stopped because it had got so destroyed there was no choice.

That's a weak deflection after an unjust accusation.