One foreign diver deported, one clings on after Koh Pha-ngan eco assault

By The Nation

 

 

Immigration authorities have deported one of the two foreign divers who disturbed marine animals off Koh Pha-ngan in Surat Thani province in August. The other has appealed to stay on in Thailand.

 

Hungarian national Attila Ott and his Dutch-Italian diving buddy Francesco Simonetti were charged on September 1 and fined Bt10,000 each after posting pictures and video of themselves poking and tickling sea creatures in a protected area of the ocean.

 

Ott, a diving instructor and owner of the island’s Pink Panther Scuba Dive Club, was deported after having his visa revoked, said Sophon Thongdee, director-general of marine and coastal resources.

 

Meanwhile Simonetti, who worked at Koh Pha-ngan‘s Barracuda restaurant, has posted Bt50,000 bail and is awaiting the result of his appeal to stay, lodged with the Immigration Bureau.

 

Surat Thani governor Witchawut Jinto has urged authorities to close the case quickly since it concerns the sensitive issue of environmental preservation in the province.

 

He said tourists who visit Surat Thani in the future will receive information warning them not to disturb the environment.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30399637

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-12-15

 

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Eco Assault ???? Really ???

 

The faux outrage is, well, outrageous....     By all means protect nature, the seas, the corals etc... but do so equally.

Fine those polluting the oceans, those who litter, and yes, fine those for handling corral, but only as much as those Thai’s who do the same thing. 

 

This treatment really quite ridiculous, when in comparison the guy who recently pistol whipped a girl and kicked her in the face 3 times was given a 1000 baht fine !

 

 

 

Thats a bit over the top, obviously fining them was not enough

People disturb my environment everyday

trying to get 'likes' cost em' big time - looks good on them SMM - (social media morons)..

When  I see the Daily assault that many, many Thais put upon their own Eco System, with their Commercial Scale Trash burning, Toxic Waste dumping, disrespect for the Environment as a whole, and the Authorities turning a blind Eye or taking a Bung, this is really Pathetic.

OK, these Guys made a very bad mistake, they should have known better, but their treatment has been disproportionately harsh, and a large fine and a Diving ban for One Year would have been sufficient.

We dont see so many prosecutions for Dumping and Trash Burning 

Two faced Thailand.

 

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said tourists who visit Surat Thani in the future will receive information warning them not to disturb the environment.

So loud music,vehicle pollution, garish lights, plastic waste.inadequate waste sewer disposal, is acceptable, but do not tickle the wild life

 

The mistake these guys made was publishing it on social media. They didn't do anything most of us divers have done at one time or another, but we didn't brag about it on the internet.

52 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Thats a bit over the top, obviously fining them was not enough

Cheap diving school for lease, please apply local immigration chief. (brother)

 

Good warning to all that want to invest in Thailand. If they want it, they'll take it.

I'll stick to muff diving

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Surat Thani governor Witchawut Jinto has urged authorities to close the case quickly since it concerns the sensitive issue of environmental preservation in the province.

More likely close it quickly and get it under the carpet before it effects Thailand tourism image

Another Thailand is a laughing stock story. Just stupid and not based in the slightest on any science

The Thais will exploit any animal, no matter how endangered, for a bit of fun or to make a few baht, 

can not belief these stu... divers.

first of all disturbing the natural beauties of the sea and than secondly most stupid to shows their own illegal actions on the public internet. Had they not posted these pictures, nobody would have know except these divers and then they could have shown the pictures to their close friends only . 

 

An OWNER of a scuba dive shop should know better and give a good example.

Thailand is not Disney World, there are rules. Thailand makes good efforts protecting its environment, i follow Thai environmental police (dont know the exact name) on fb and see how they arrest ppl illegally logging trees and catching wildlife. Just a few months ago one of these ppl was shot dead by a local illegal logger. 

N0 double standards, i aplaud the Thai for being serious protecting the environment.

16 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Thats a bit over the top, obviously fining them was not enough

sure, a small fine and than these fine gentlemen laugh their heads off and ridicule these "stupid Thai officials". They would take it as a badge of honor to get a fine.

a fine hardly will deter ppl from doing this. so yes, revoking visa is a clear signal. if you cant behave, go be a bad boy in yr own country. ????

Thailand has a terrible environmental record from polluting oceans, slash and burn culture, improper waste water discharge and hazardous waste dumping, over-fishing, and my favorite garbage and litter everywhere... you are hard pressed to find one square meter of land that hadn’t been contaminated by humans with some type of garbage especially plastic...

 

the divers were wrong being in a protected area but I believe they weren’t malicious in their intent...only ignorant in poking around...it wasn’t like they were poaching unlike what occurs constantly in Thai forests...look up thailand’s record on wildlife trade...

 

these guys ended up being low hanging fruit and easy prey...

No comparison to the 2.5 PM pollution eco assault presently being inflicted on every man woman and child across central Thailand. ????  

16 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

So loud music,vehicle pollution, garish lights, plastic waste.inadequate waste sewer disposal, is acceptable, but do not tickle the wild life

 

??? U cum to Thailand to tickle the wild life do U not?

 

17 hours ago, ChipButty said:

People disturb my environment everyday

Dogs do the same for me. 

And yet the Thai dive masters who do this are let go with barely a warning.  I'd hate to think of how much damage was done by masses of tourists snorkeling around Thailand.  Walking on the corals, dropping anchors, waste, etc.

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-divers-blasted-for-coral-damage-65075.php

Phuket divers blasted for coral damage

PHUKET: A Facebook conservation group (Go Eco Phuket) has blasted dive tour operators for damage to coral reefs at Koh Racha Yai, saying that a surge in dive tour numbers is a reason for the increasing amount of damage.

 

4 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

And yet the Thai dive masters who do this are let go with barely a warning.  I'd hate to think of how much damage was done by masses of tourists snorkeling around Thailand.  Walking on the corals, dropping anchors, waste, etc.

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-divers-blasted-for-coral-damage-65075.php

Phuket divers blasted for coral damage

PHUKET: A Facebook conservation group (Go Eco Phuket) has blasted dive tour operators for damage to coral reefs at Koh Racha Yai, saying that a surge in dive tour numbers is a reason for the increasing amount of damage.

 

Right or wrong aside, if you compare actions of 2020 to something that happened 3 years ago you are literally living in the past.

Despite all the bad examples, in the last few years Thailand has woken up and there are a lot more discussions and actions about the protection of the environment (and yes, of course there is a lot more to be done). So punishment from 3 years ago clearly should not be the benchmark when judging if this ruling is harsh or not.

1 hour ago, ardsong said:

can not belief these stu... divers.

first of all disturbing the natural beauties of the sea and than secondly most stupid to shows their own illegal actions on the public internet. Had they not posted these pictures, nobody would have know except these divers and then they could have shown the pictures to their close friends only . 

 

Looking at the big picture,the guys done little or no damage,why dont you complain about Elephants and the Tigers that are drugged in Zoo's,and of which the Government dont give a second thought about when they tout for tourists have photo shoots with them!! TIT....

14 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I'll stick to muff diving

You could still be in trouble if you post the pictures on the internet.

14 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I'll stick to muff diving

Make sure you wear a snorkel so you don't have to come up for air.

11 minutes ago, huberthammer said:

Right or wrong aside, if you compare actions of 2020 to something that happened 3 years ago you are literally living in the past.

Despite all the bad examples, in the last few years Thailand has woken up and there are a lot more discussions and actions about the protection of the environment (and yes, of course there is a lot more to be done). So punishment from 3 years ago clearly should not be the benchmark when judging if this ruling is harsh or not.

I've not seen changes like you suggest over the past few years.  Trash is all over the seas, fishing trawlers are still dragging the bottom.  Last year, hundreds of boats went out with scuba divers who walked all over corals.

 

3 years ago isn't that far.  And I was trying to say that the local dive guides/divers didn't get into the same amount of trouble as the farang ones.

 

see the illustrated version below.

 

These guys are burned at the stake for touching a mollusk, the truth is,

the mollusk gave them Covid. It’s true.

 

15 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I'll stick to muff diving

as long as you don't touch the wildlife,
and if you inadvertently do, go to see a doctor for a protective jab.
some creatures down there can be very stingy or sticky.
dive into this one and you may not need a doctor ????