Koh Phangan: "Broken" foreign divers languishing in jail - expect deportation

[connda]

18 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

breaking up families over playing with (not harming) wildlife - disgusting way to treat people

 

 

 

 

 

In the meanwhile, Italian-Thai tycoon Premchai Karnasuta who stood trial for hunting a black panther and other wlldlife in a Thai hunting reserve is still roaming free.

Explain that?  Hummm.  Nevermind.  They'll destroy a Thai-foreiger family over what should be a wrist-slap and a fine while ignoring real crimes against protected wildlife.

 

 

[LomSak27]

Just now, 4MyEgo said:

a little over the top from the Thai authorities just looking to pounce on Mr Farang to show their almighty powers.

a little over the top?  ????

 

 

[shackleton]

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

These kind of hostile news articles are exactly what caused expats to relocate elsewhere !

I some how doubt this will cause to many expats to relocate else where

Remember the grass is not always greener on the other side

 

[jvs]

What are you guys ranting about?

The article does not mention anything about them having been convicted,have they been to court?

Yes a year in jail and/or 100000baht fine ........maximum.

Relax.Meanwhile in my province(phetchburi) the mask patrol is out again.

Check stops have been reinstated.

[TERMINATOR3AB]

Great  for tourism  keep it up Thailand 

You are bloody  idiots  ...power  drunk   Nazi,s   the  uniforms  and hats  suit  you perfecetly 

That  is a  plain old  sea  cucumber   cant hurt them  tough as  nails 

So petty  this  is disgusting  

The  ones  behind this should be the ones in prison.... Your  actually   making a  fool of your  Country  to the world  

Dont  put  "boss"  in prison for killing a police man ... but  prison for  picking up a sea cucumber ...laughable (Sad)

God help you

Good  Luck Thailand

 

[jak2002003]

27 minutes ago, Keesters said:

"play with a crab on beach or swim and play with a sea cucumber, it helps to protect nature in their life in the future"

 

Try asking the crab or sea cucumber if it wants to be played (man handled) with. 

I doubt the animals cared. I mean, the sea cucumber does not even have a brain or central nervous system, to the dumb mindless thing is not likely to have emotions or feelings about the situation.  I doubt Mr crab is mentally scared for life also. 

[LomSak27]

Just now, shackleton said:

2 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

These kind of hostile news articles are exactly what caused expats to relocate elsewhere !

I some how doubt this will cause to many expats to relocate else where

Remember the grass is not always greener on the other side

But this is exactly what makes you want to  check out the grass on the other side.

[paulbrow]

16 hours ago, rott said:

He's been here seven years but is on the tourist amnesty? 

You're rewriting the story. It says "visa Amnesty" not tourist amnesty. Amnesty is not only for tourists.

[tgw]

3 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

I doubt the animals cared. I mean, the sea cucumber does not even have a brain or central nervous system, to the dumb mindless thing is not likely to have emotions or feelings about the situation.  I doubt Mr crab is mentally scared for life also. 

eeeh don't let facts ruin a nice story of anthropomorphism !

[tgw]

33 minutes ago, Keesters said:

"play with a crab on beach or swim and play with a sea cucumber, it helps to protect nature in their life in the future"

 

Try asking the crab or sea cucumber if it wants to be played (man handled) with. 

please... no anthropomorphism.

[ChipButty]

Thai's are a bunch hypocrites.

When are they going to stop hitting baby elephants over the head for tourist to play with?

[robert888d]

No one is  perfect and we all make mistakes during our lives. Surely a fine and a warning would have been a reasonable punishment. It is disgusting to put people in prison and fine and deport them and ruin their lives for just holding a few sea creatures but they are foreigners not really liked or wanted here ..just their money. Thailand is getting worse and worse. 

[Mansell]

I am pretty much neutral on the things they did or not do. I think the big lesson here is that Facebook seems to make people brain dead. Like people posting pics/videos of themselves naked by a Buddha statue, or underwater, etc. they are offering their own innocence or guilt for all to see.....for what? A little ego gratification! The world we live in today.

 

[2 is 1]

1 hour ago, micmichd said:

There's certainly not much diving in the caves of Chiang Rai. 

So you think not needed dive to get those boys out from cave!? 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44761821

 

These brave "farang" guys was one reason those boys ever get out! They stop own life to help and even risk they own life's!

[utalkin2me]

With the photos shown it is impossible to prove their exact location. This is something obviously working against them assuming they are innocent.

 

I wonder if their dive entry and exit point was witnessed by anyone, or if they had interactions before or after their dive. That could help, if they are innocent. 

[ifmu]

18 hours ago, Scot123 said:

This whole thing is disgusting. Having been a diving instructor in Thailand with well over 300 dives in Thai waters I can tell you this is absolutely nothing and comparing it to what Thais do every day; from killing beautiful Trigger Fish who become to big and aggressive at dive sites dropping anchors and destroying coral beds, killing endangered animals with their nets often abandoned on coral or on the sea bed. Dugans, Turtles,  Dolphins and even Wale sharks killed either by accident or intentional.  This is like selling bread to tourists then throwing them in prison for feeding fish or picking up bleached seashells or dead coral then holding them till they have extorted hundreds of thousands from them and their families for their release. Yes great advertising within the dive community which is very small but connected internationally all around the world. A dive holiday in Thailand OMG you must be mad.

by all means if this is happening please report them ... 

[cheshiremusicman]

18 hours ago, Scot123 said:

This whole thing is disgusting. Having been a diving instructor in Thailand with well over 300 dives in Thai waters I can tell you this is absolutely nothing and comparing it to what Thais do every day; from killing beautiful Trigger Fish who become to big and aggressive at dive sites dropping anchors and destroying coral beds, killing endangered animals with their nets often abandoned on coral or on the sea bed. Dugans, Turtles,  Dolphins and even Wale sharks killed either by accident or intentional.  This is like selling bread to tourists then throwing them in prison for feeding fish or picking up bleached seashells or dead coral then holding them till they have extorted hundreds of thousands from them and their families for their release. Yes great advertising within the dive community which is very small but connected internationally all around the world. A dive holiday in Thailand OMG you must be mad.

It's a very long time since I scuba dived and that was in the very cold and murky waters around the British Isles, but I cannot see what these two divers are being accused of apart from handling a sea cucumber, which I am sure came to no harm from its interaction with the divers. The divers maintain that they were not in a 'NO DIVE ZONE', but of course it's the Thai official who has the last say (in everything). For goodness sake, just give them a fine and let the matter rest and go after the Thai's who do so much damage to the ecology as pointed out in the quote above. I do hope that some sensibility will come out of this IMHO crazy prosecution. These people are not criminals so please use some common sense (If there is any in Thailand) and let the matter drop.

[ICELANDMAN]

16 hours ago, rott said:

He's been here seven years but is on the tourist amnesty? 

Is correct we are all tourist also with Thai wife and children, why you thing you are resident ?

 

[Bender Rodriguez]

unbelievable ....  some criminals that killed a person get bail

 

but call it animal huggers/touchers are in jail and might be deported

 

TIT, wonderful thailand

[scoupeo]

This is what should happen to anyone disturbing animal life by any way.

 

 

[rott]

4 hours ago, baansgr said:

I think because after arrest they revoked his visa/extension already, he is now here on amnesty.

The OP says that they were already on the amnesty but it would be revoked following their arrest. 

[paul1804]

This is a very crazy situation for the officials, they are completely over reacting to a fairly harmless deed. If the guys were actually in a restricted Zone and if diving there is against the law then they should be fined as per the law. The deed of lifting a sea cucumber is in no way harming or endangering the marine life. Observing the practices of Thai fisherman their actions are hugely detrimental to the marine life and something that should be addressed if Thailand is serious about preserving what it has. 

 A billionaires grandson kills a policeman driving at a very dangerous speed and while under the influence of drugs and alcohol and the officials want to drop the charges until there is a public outcry and only after that does their leader want an investigation. Thailand you are a beautiful country with mostly great people but you really need to get your priorities right. The law should be enforced fairly and justly and the punishment should fit the crime. Race or wealth should not be part of the equation, sadly this doesn’t appear to be the case in Thailand so Just another sad day for the land of smiles!

[rott]

23 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

Is correct we are all tourist also with Thai wife and children, why you thing you are resident ?

 

Strange illogical post, but no I have no illusions of residency I am on an extension of permission to stay based on Retirement. 

The thing that know-nothings refer to as a Retirement Visa. 

[noone223]

Funny how these two divers in KPG are getting deported for touching a sea cucmber,

yet,

The guy in KPG that "tried to bribe" the cops after getting caught with drugs is roaming around free,

while posting about it on social media.

Thai justice.

 

 

[flinc2020]

And of course Thailand is sooooo protective of its marine life, as can be seen by the thousands of tons of rubbish that washes out from the rivers and onto the local beaches every year. Such double standards are why they will struggle to rebuild their tourism industry. 

[Accidental Tourist]

Is EATING sea cucumbers in a Chinese restaurant safe? Or would you fear deportation...

[rott]

3 hours ago, Kerryd said:

He may be on a Marriage Extension or a Non-O Visa and thus can't do the "90 day" border run. As a result, he'd be on the "Amnesty" as is/was anyone else that would have had to leave the country in order to renew a Visa.

True he may be, but the OP just says he was on the amnesty which will be revoked following his arrest. 

[spidermike007]

Just another instance of absolutely deplorable behavior on the part of the toy police, and this toxic administration. The xenophobia and racist hatred continues, on the part of the authorities. First of all, there is very little in the way of wildlife surrounding Phangan. Most of it has been destroyed. The reefs are decimated. If this was truly a protected area, with honest and serious marine rangers, and with the Thai authorities taking the water conditions in the Gulf seriously, this might be a different story. Nothing is being done to protect the reefs, the boat captains are incredibly reckless and abusive to the environment, and this is nothing more than a stage show. It will convince nobody, except the most naive among us. 

 

When you take into account the rampant denigration and destruction of the seas by the Thai people, and the Thai fishermen, this utterly reeks of hypocrisy, and someone with an ax to grind (refusal to pay large bribes is likely). 

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

These kind of hostile news articles are exactly what caused expats to relocate elsewhere !

Not only "hostile news", but for me after 20 years, all the bureaucratic documentation, extortionate financial requirements, Thai bank documentation and Thai health insurance for my visa renewal - then 90 day/TM30 etc. visits to Immigration! Not for me, and I now live in welcoming Cambodia where next month I have to renew my annual retirement visa. All I do is pay 300 US$ to an official local agent because I am already registered on FPCS (foreign persons in Cambodia system). No other information required - so easy!

[TacoKhun]

1 hour ago, Kaopad999 said:

I agree the punishment seems to be very harsh, but these are two experienced divers that have been living out here for several years. So, do you think they are going to be forgiven for an apology when they must have known what the consequences would be for their own actions? If it was some tourists that didn't know better, then  i'm sure an apology would have been accepted.

then it obvious they knew about punishment so they wont do that unless they were sure what they are doing is okey because only 60% is considered protected so logic dictates they were in other 40%