Dutch tourist arrested and facing jail time after killing endangered fish on an island excursion

[webfact]

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

The latest arrest of a foreign tourist for breaching Thailand’s strict laws on the conservation of natural resources follows a string of incidents since 2017. The 22-year-old Dutchman will be brought before the court in Phuket but is certain to be afterwards deported and blacklisted from the country if convicted of a criminal offence under the 2019 National Parks Act. 

Police officers in Phuket are preparing a case against a Dutch tourist who was arrested by police on Monday afternoon following public outrage over a TikTok video and an order from the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment to apprehend him after he used a speargun to kill parrot fish off Phi Phi Leh, in a protected natural park near Krabi and Phuket. The 22-year-old man faces up to five years of imprisonment if convicted in court and will almost certainly be ordered deported and blacklisted from the kingdom.

A Dutch tourist in Thailand has found himself at the centre of criminal prosecution while facing up to 5 years in jail after hiring a boat to go fishing off Ko Phi Phi island in Phuket on Tuesday 9th August last. The story erupted several days later when Thailand’s crusading natural resources and environment minister, Mr Varawut Silpa-archa, was alerted to a video posted on the social network site Tik Tok which showed 22-year-old Mr Roslan B. holding aloft 5 exotic looking fish specimens including, according to the minister, two endangered and very rare parrot fish.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/17/dutch-tourist-arrested-for-parrot-fish-kill-roslan-bendenia/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-08-18

 

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[SAFETY FIRST]

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

deported and blacklisted from the country

Geeze, the guy calls himself a professional and he spearfishers in a  National Park.

 

See Ya ????

 

[nightfox]

Up to 5 year imprisonment...."When a fish has more rights then a human". Can't wait for the international media to pick up this story if he is actually doing jail time.  

[aussienam]

The Act carries 5 years prison.  That penalty would apply to the most serious of cases.  Like a cartel in commercial fishing in protected areas, or large scale smuggling or destroying of species and reef systems.  

It just allows judges that option. But usually in these cases, they would be monetary punishments. 

I am all for marine sanctuaries and them being strictly protected.  

Not a fan of killing and stabbing sea creatures, particularly the rare ones.  Good there are some areas where sea life is normal safe.  And is a good step in prevention of permanent ecological damage.  

 

But, wait till the Chinese tour boats return and see all the damage to the reefs that will occur like usual, with knuckle brains trampling over fan corals (takes decades to grow), snapping it off and showing it off, etc. 

 

[Iamfalang]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s strict laws on the conservation of natural resources

These influencers, tik-tockers, 22 year old kids should not be allowed to destroy the beauty and kill the fish of Thailand.

 

100 days of shame in the media (no defamation laws for him), blacklisted for life, deported of course, and this should send a message.

 

Or 100-year jail sentence and then negotiate for a prisoner swap.   There might be a Thai held in jail for stealing chocolate  in the Netherlands.  

[Orinoco]

Get the boat captain, now.

This just so stupid.

 

 

[Boomer6969]

Just don't come to Thailand. And seriously think about leaving if you are here. The disproportion in treatment when dealing with justice is not acceptable. It is an expression of a deep rooted racism which makes this dangerous to us westerners.

[Gottfrid]

18 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Just don't come to Thailand. And seriously think about leaving if you are here. The disproportion in treatment when dealing with justice is not acceptable. It is an expression of a deep rooted racism which makes this dangerous to us westerners.

No problem. Fell free to leave if you think you are in danger. Or, you probably manages that already?

[smedly]

how about the boat captain who was in charge of everything going on on his boat, he is 100% responsible for all activities on his boat, he is the guide

[vandeventer]

42 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Get the boat captain, now.

This just so stupid.

 

 

Yes this sounds fishy to me.

[Gecko123]

You would think that someone who describes himself as a "professional spear fisherman" would have a greater awareness of what species and areas were off-limits, but I agree the boat owner/guide ought to bear some responsibility as well.

 

My only advice to this guy at this point is to lose the tank top, shorts, and sandals, and to take off his headgear indoors when interacting with the police, the courts, or the media. He may also want to pay more attention to his sitting posture and avoid fiddling with his smart phone in the presence of authorities.

 

As justifiably proud as he may be of his physique, his wardrobe and posture are conveying a level of machoism that is working against efforts he has made to express contrition about what he has done. Instead his wardrobe and posture are conveying a lack of awareness about the seriousness of the laws he has broken, and is probably helping fuel public perceptions that punishment is warranted.

 

[Excel]

1 minute ago, Gecko123 said:

You would think that someone who describes himself as a "professional spear fisherman" would have a greater awareness of what species and areas were off-limits, but I agree the boat owner/guide ought to bear some responsibility as well.

 

My only advice to this guy at this point is to lose the tank top, shorts, and sandals, and to take off his headgear indoors when interacting with the police, the courts, or the media. He may also want to pay more attention to his sitting posture and avoid fiddling with a smart phone in the presence of authorities.

 

As justifiably proud as he may be of his physique, his wardrobe and posture are conveying a level of machoism that is working against efforts he has made to express contrition about what he has done. Instead his wardrobe and posture are conveying a lack of awareness about the seriousness of the laws he has broken, and is probably helping fuel public perceptions that punishment is warranted.

Exactly, poseurs like this who commit a crime against a protected specie should most definitely be made an example of. I'm sure even 7 days in a Thai prison for his crimes will sort him out and guess after that he  won't be arsed to try illegal fishing again 

[jacko45k]

59 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Get the boat captain, now.

This just so stupid.

 

 

Yes I have heard no mention of him, surely his licence to operate at least should be revoked. The Dutch guy may well not have known he was fishing in a National Park.... (ignorance is not the best excuse), but he is being used as a patsy to distract from wider spread violations.

[daveAustin]

The captain is to receive similar punishment—obviously not deportation—as per previous article. Just not being paraded for obvious reasons. 

[2long]

At that young age and with those big muscles, I'm guessing he's not a pro spearfisherman. Maybe he spent a lot of time doing it, almost as much time as he spent in the gym.

Is spearfishing a sport, or an occupation? If the latter, his physique would be far different.

 

Anyway, I digress. 

Yes, he's stupid to do it. Yes, the captain is equally culpable, and let's hope he's been nicked, too.

Deport him? Ok, but blacklisting is a bit harsh.

5 years in jail is 5 years more than Boss has or will spend behind bars, so I would say NO!

[Orinoco]

The parrot fish community are not happy.

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, Orinoco said:

Get the boat captain, now.

This just so stupid.

 

 

What's stupid, please explain.

 

The captain and crew have been detained, it's posted in another article.

 

This posting is regarding the foreigner facing jail time. 

 

 

[Orinoco]

Just now, SAFETY FIRST said:

What's stupid, please explain.

 

The captain and crew have been detained, it's posted in another article.

 

This posting is regarding the foreigner.

 

Because this is blown out of all proportion.

It's a few fish,  caught in a protected area., big deal.

Thais will be there all day doing this.

If it was a blue whale maybe i would give a toss.

Also it stinks of Thailand's, blame game culture that is on the increase.

Captain should  have been hunted down first !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok now.

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

9 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

It's a few fish,  caught in a protected area., big deal

I reckon it's a bloody good idea that you Never, Ever go to Australia if you think this is out of proportion. 

 

You will be put in your place quick smart. 

 

I worked Barrow Island, you must remove lint from your pockets before you can enter. 

 

Warning to you........ 

Do Not Go to Australia. 

[G Rex]

1 minute ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I reckon it's a bloody good idea that you Never, Ever go to Australia if you think this is out of proportion. 

 

You will be put in your place quick smart. 

 

Warning..........

Do Not Go to aus Australia. 

 

 

Unless you are an indigenous Australian - then you can legally do it all day/every day

[Orinoco]

6 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I reckon it's a bloody good idea that you Never, Ever go to Australia if you think this is out of proportion. 

 

You will be put in your place quick smart. 

 

I worked Barrow Island, you must remove lint from your pockets before you can enter. 

 

Warning to you........ 

Do Not Go to Australia. 

Been to Barrow island.

Got the tee shirt and the lecture. never wish to go or work in OZ ever again. you can keep it all. ( this article is about Thailand ok. )

BTW. only read this in the article. didn't see detained or arrested.

did i miss that ?

Quote

boat service, and speargun renter are also under investigation.’

 

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The 22-year-old man faces up to five years of imprisonment if convicted in court and will almost certainly be ordered deported and blacklisted from the kingdom.

Probably wont look so steroid enhanced after 5 years, might be a good thing

[jacko45k]

Just now, RichardColeman said:

Probably wont look so steroid enhanced after 5 years, might be a good thing

He isn't going to jail for 5 years..... foreign media will  be all over it and it would hardly reflect well on Thai tourism. 

[LennyW]

As he said, he saw them for sale in a wet market earlier the same day so thought nothing of it, i guess it depends on the colour.....of your skin!

[Orinoco]

15 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Warning to you........ 

Do Not Go to Australia. 

Should be a warning to the rest of the world. 

[Olmate]

14 minutes ago, G Rex said:

Unless you are an indigenous Australian - then you can legally do it all day/every day

Invasion has its benefits then! 

[lujanit]

Since when are parrot fish endangered?  The title is just wrong.

[Excel]

11 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably wont look so steroid enhanced after 5 years, might be a good thing

He may also learn in that next 5 years to show more respect in the attire he wears when talking to Thai officials instead of looking like a tramp with a "couldn't care less" attitude playing on his smart phone.

[Orinoco]

And the other news today.

On average 14 more children will be killed on the roads of Thailand today.

Little bit of balance for the girls  here..

 

[ardsong]

2 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

Just don't come to Thailand. And seriously think about leaving if you are here. The disproportion in treatment when dealing with justice is not acceptable. It is an expression of a deep rooted racism which makes this dangerous to us westerners.

Bye Bye Boomer 6969 , let us know when you will have your "Farewell Thailand" party ????