Foreign divers face jail and 100K fines for underwater selfies they posted on YouTube

[Dogmatix]

Very lucky for the sea cucumber they weren't Chinese divers or it would have been eaten on the spot. 

[Hi Tea]

12 minutes ago, Harry Fingerling said:

From the narrative it just says stay away dirty Ferang.

...only if you're unable to read.

[Hi Tea]

7 minutes ago, Moo 2 said:

When one wants to do something illegal in Thailand one has better have good friends like..."The Boss".

 

Why?  What's the advantage of having him as your mate?

[NeoDinosaw]

6 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

Very lucky for the sea cucumber they weren't Chinese divers or it would have been eaten on the spot. 

 

I didn't know that they are eaten raw !!

But you are right - holothurians are a delicacy in many parts of the world

[brianthainess]

I've seen many here where they just place the new toilet over the squat, and concrete around it, leaving your legs dangling like a kid when you sit on it. 

[Thaivisa2006]

Shooting a black panther seems “cheaper” than touching a sea cucumber ????

[rosst]

6 hours ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

Being instructors they should have know it's against the law to touch animals in a National Park but to record it and publish o You Tube was a bit silly.

 

Good thing it wasn't a panther, they would have been not guilty 

[fdsa]

this topic is exactly what "TiT" stands for ????

fishermen catching endangered species like Zebra sharks = mai pin rai;

farangs making photo with crinoid, crab and cucumber = pay 100k!

so Thai.

[vandeventer]

If this gets you mad what about the 100,000 tourist that can't get out of Thailand by

the 26 of September.No flights,no money but a handful of canceled air tickets

any advise?

[greenmonkey]

No doubt that the actions of these two guys is wrong but the threat of jail and 100k fines is way excessive. If I remember rightly there was a Thai guide that made the news for being shown on video removing a clownfish (nemo) from its habitat and taking it out of the water to show to some tourists. He was rightly called out for his behaviour but I am pretty sure there was no threats of jail and fines thrown at him and it was all settled with an apology on his behalf and the promise that it would never happen again. I think this is what is angering people (expats) - its the blatant double standards. If a local does it - no bother. If a foreigner does it - all hell breaks loose! Unfortunately we are seeing a lot of this. Ask the poor British fella that picked up an iphone off the street and ended up doing jail time and spending 800k Baht on lawyers to get out of jail. And that was just weeks after a Chinese tourist was caught on CCTV actually steeling a camera in Thailand and getting let off with a slap on the wrist and a small fine...!!!

[Airbagwill]

8 hours ago, AbeNormal said:

This is nonsense 

 

corals are protected not fish 

 

ridiculous and idiotic reaction 

 

maybe go after fishing boats that do actual damage to protected corals and marine life

ALL wildlife needs to be protected - trying to dichotomise the issue is a red-=herring.

 

Thailand has a dreadful record of wildlife conservation and it doesn't help when visitors compound the abuse

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Foreign divers face jail and 100K fines for underwater selfies they posted on YouTube

I guess it seemed an innocent thing to do at the time... a warning to all.

If you're a foreigner you will get hammered... don't film it don't post it.

This message will self delete after 5 minutes !

[farangroby]

When 100,000 baht fine and prison for Thais who destroy the reef for a few oysters, who pollute water and beaches with bottles, plastic and cans?When 100,000 baht fine and prison for Thais who destroy the reef for a few oysters, who pollute water and beaches with bottles, plastic and cans?

[Airbagwill]

Just now, hotchilli said:

I guess it seemed an innocent thing to do at the time... a warning to all.

If you're a foreigner you will get hammered... don't film it don't post it.

This message will self delete after 5 minutes !

Presumably these guys were training or are trained to be SCUBA divers - ignorance is no excuse. If you are going to undertake this kind of activity it has to be that person's responsibility to get informed of all the issues involved.

This kind of ignorance is widespread amongst visitors to Thailand and basically is funding the abuse of wildlife both on land and in the sea in the name of tourism.

[Airbagwill]

1 minute ago, farangroby said:

When 100,000 baht fine and prison for Thais who destroy the reef for a few oysters, who pollute water and beaches with bottles, plastic and cans?When 100,000 baht fine and prison for Thais who destroy the reef for a few oysters, who pollute water and beaches with bottles, plastic and cans?

So you think the sins of one justify the sins of another?

[utalkin2me]

How can foreigners even be dive instructors? And, since they can, why aren't banks and restaurants and everything else filled with foreign workers? Is there some special greased up world in the dive community here? 

[Ctkong]

These long stayed two foreigners are well aware of the law about marine parks. They just couldn’t be bothered to follow the law. On top of that, not only did they touch the marine animal, they also post them online.it is just so in your face to the authorities.i believe any country would have acted the same.maybe an apology and a slap on the wrist but maybe not the maximum fine which they haven’t been imposed anyway. Live in a host country, respect their laws. It is their country and their law enforcement. Calling out their local practices does not make you any better than them because you as a foreigner with better education and environment should know much better.

[cyril sneer]

behead them

 

or if look like thai pay 500 baht wai

[johnmcc6]

Ban all farrang .That way they will never have to chase them around hoping they can nail them with breaking some stupid rule. Surprised they haven't been charged with espionage for photographing secret submarine routs.

[dieter1]

just to spoil the fun of all these  underworked keyboard warriors some questions:

Does somebody knows these divers did actually dive in an protected area ?

What are are the special rules for diving in protected areas (no guessing allowed - please link to the official source)?

Did the police have a arrest warrant to arrest  these divers?

Do you think it is ok to arrest someone (not to prevent the action cause it is already done) without an arrest warant?

Do you think it is ok to fine these divers ( and wifes) because they did not stay at home at night ? (they did not inform immigrant police before )

Did you all regularly visit your psychiatrists and did you not forget to take your medicine ?

Do you know, that outside exercising would be much better for your health instead of sitting at your computer ?

irony off

[Lancashireman]

6 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Have you interrogated it? When are you submitting your evidence to the court?

9 out of 10 sea cucumbers who expressed a preference said they enjoyed it...

[phantomfiddler]

This place is getting ridiculous ????

[bust]

WOW.....this is a special kind of stupid ????????????

Perhaps the Thais need to be introduced to the saying “Clean up your own backyard........ “

[Jack P]

Is touching sea animals more or less ethical than slaughtering fish, pigs and whatever else, to put them on peoples plates?

[pookondee]

I just dont get these guys.

While others are suffering with Covid, these guys seemingly have it all, yet are still not satisfied. 

 

Now having drawn attention to themselves, the police will be poking and fitting them up for several other laws that have been outright broken, or skirted around.

 

ALL which could have been totally avoided,

if "flying under the radar" instead of posting their silly aรses on social media.

 

But no,

Once again,

its a case of the male farang ego,

pea-cocking and needing to be seen

"livin their best life"

 

Well, hope you be livin your best life in a Thai jail lads...

[Fex Bluse]

Thailand nearing bankruptcy. Going after any and all they can. 

[Odisan]

9 hours ago, AbeNormal said:

This is nonsense 

 

corals are protected not fish 

 

ridiculous and idiotic reaction 

 

maybe go after fishing boats that do actual damage to protected corals and marine life

The divers should've known better. They'll get what's coming to them and rightly so.

[Neeranam]

Are there no Burmese they can nail waking a fish up on?

[SiSePuede419]

Seems to be good evidence that stupidity is waterproof. ????

[Vicki Coghlan]

Wow!!! 

So farung divers are hounded for touching sea creatures but local Thai fishermen are given seperate immunity to screw with marine life and you wonder why Thailand's tourism is now non existent.