Pattaya: "Sea Walker" firms busted after environment minister goes ape at seabed destruction pics

[rooster59]

Images: Manager

Thailand's national resources and environment minister demanded action after damning pictures of tourists trampling on coral and handling sea urchins and clams hit social media. 

The visitors were taking part in an activity called "Sea Walker" in which tourists wear headgear and walk on the sea floor.

But they are not meant to damage anything or pick things up and move them.

Varawut Silpa-Archa told the department of marine and coastal resources to investigate.

One of the last times he acted on such a matter a Hungarian - who was soon deported - and an Italian in Koh Phangan were arrested. 

This time the tourists appear to be Thai and the company certainly is.

Yesterday Phusong Saritdeechaikul's team found a two story boat called T. Popeye operating with twenty plus tourists off Ta Yai beach, Koh Larn. 

The manager and staff were taken away to the Pattaya police station. 

The business was not licenced that could mean a year in jail and 100,000 fine.

But the environment damage laws they face are much more serious - up to 10 years in jail and 1 million baht fine or both. 

The poster of the social media pictures also faces jail and a heavy fine. 

Phusong said that sea walker businesses had been operating for a long time and the areas they are allowed to operate in and the permissions to run businesses were still under consideration. 

They should be operating in areas where there is no chance to damage the environment.

Manager reported that their sources suggested that 23 such businesses were operating in the Pattaya area.

Thaivisa has featured the businesses before noting that they had a largely Chinese clientele pre-pandemic. 

Now with the minister on the case they could all find themselves not in sea water...but deep, hot water.

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-20

 

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[smedly]

24 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

But the environment damage laws they face are much more serious - up to 10 years in jail and 1 million baht fine or both. 

and yet city administrators go unpunished for the massive environmental destruction they cause, what about the hundreds of urchins washed up on a beach a few days ago, who got locked up for that

 

 

 

The chief of the Patong Municipality Sanitation Division has dismissed the notion that wastewater flowing into the bay is in any way contributing to the macro algae bloom along the Patong beachfront that has lead to masses of red sea urchins being stranded washed ashore.

Edited March 20, 2021 by smedly

[worgeordie]

So the culprits are Thai...lets see what happens this time.

regards Worgeordie

[jacko45k]

They probably aren't real. Likely plastic models scattered about the sea bed by the Sea Walker Dive Company.

[RichardColeman]

Hats off to the man that turned a disused toilet bowl into a swimming helmet

[rosst]

There is nowhere but sand desert bottom where this should be permitted vandalism on a grand scale, shut them down, every last one. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

They should be operating in areas where there is no chance to damage the environment.

The bottom of the Marianas Trench is recommended.

[Justgrazing]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Sea Walker" in which tourists wear headgear and walk on the sea floor

" Luke what I've found " said the geeza in the top pic' .. 

It looks more closed toilet seat than headgear as well ..

[Pilotman]

so this <deleted> couldn't work it out for himself; pathetic. 

[rwill]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Hats off to the man that turned a disused toilet bowl into a swimming helmet

I hope his watch is waterproof...

[tingtong]

"They should be operating in areas where there is no chance to damage the environment"

Curious to hear suggestions the whereabouts of those places.

Probably walk under the sea to see something.

On a different note, how is zipline between trees in the forest helping the environment?

or the single use mask in " green zones" for that matter?

But if must, then confiscate all equipment, instead of times that more resemble a joke, then a serious deterrent.

 

[impulse]

Peruse any local seafood market and you'll find truckloads of the critters to buy, cook and eat. 

Put on dive equipment and even touch them, and it's off to jail with ya'.

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that the "23 such businesses" will be whittled down to just a few, owned and operated by the usual suspects.  They won't stand the competition in the best of times, and Covid made it much more dire.

[shy coconut]

17 hours ago, worgeordie said:

So the culprits are Thai...lets see what happens this time.

regards Worgeordie

@Maybe they will be deported@

[mikebell]

22 hours ago, rooster59 said:

sea walker businesses had been operating for a long time and the areas they are allowed to operate in and the permissions to run businesses were still under consideration. 

But they are still allowed to operate after paying the required fee.

[thequietman]

Environment minister - "wait, so you are telling me that there were no farrang tourists doing this?!"

How we gonna earn from this!

[AhFarangJa]

22 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The business was not licenced that could mean a year in jail and 100,000 fine.

But the environment damage laws they face are much more serious - up to 10 years in jail and 1 million baht fine or both. 

However, as there were no Farangs involved a Wai and please leave a small donation in the box as you leave the office will suffice.

[AhFarangJa]

18 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Hats off to the man that turned a disused toilet bowl into a swimming helmet

Who says it is disused............probably fitted back on the toilet in the evenings..................