Tourists capturing marine life for social media face legal action

[webfact]

 

Koh Phi Phi National Park swiftly responded to reports of tourists capturing marine life and sharing it on social media. 

 

On March 4th, complaints highlighted foreign tourists aboard the "Quel Voyage GEORGE TOWN" boat snorkeling at Koh Bida Island, part of Phi Phi Island, reported Daily News. 

 

 

Following investigation, officials confirmed marine life capture, including shellfish, in Zone 7. 

 

Mr. Yutthapong emphasized park regulations, prohibiting activities harmful to marine life and the environment. 

 

 

The incident, falling under the park's jurisdiction in Krabi Province, was reported to local police. Authorities stress responsible tourism to protect biodiversity and natural resources.

 

 

All pictures courtesy of Daily News

 

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[stoner]

anyone care for some shark fin soup...i hear its quite popular around these parts. 

[stupidfarang]

Tour operators should be arrested and their boat seized, this will send a message to all tour operators to follow the law, explain to tourists, "look do not touch" that is the best way to get the message out

[Crossy]

"Take only photographs, leave only bubbles!".

 

Evidently watching too many old Jacques Cousteau documentaries (I really loved those as a kid) made at a time when it was seen as ok to mess with the ocean life. Times have changed.

 

Incidentally it was Jacques Cousteau who, along with Émile Gagnan, invented the aqualung (forerunner of modern scuba gear) during WWII.

 

[RandiRona]

If they are scavenging social media, I would love them to get all those cringe YouTubers. Heck I will snitch some of them, give me a link of Thais work together website or app.😀😱😱

[2long]

Idiots! Not only for damaging the reef and its inhabitants, but for endangering their own lives with this type of 'diving.' Up and down possibly with fast ascents and maybe without any training will soon see them in the chamber.

[Enoon]

5 hours ago, stupidfarang said:

Tour operators should be arrested and their boat seized, this will send a message to all tour operators to follow the law, explain to tourists, "look do not touch" that is the best way to get the message out

 

Words that were not said on the boat:

 

"Don't touch or take anything down there"

 

"Drop that back in the water and don't post what you did on the internet"

 

Why not........because 100% guaranteed that the foreigner will get all the **** thrown at them.

 

Or is there a chance that the boat owner will be charged with conspiracy to commit a crime/aiding and abetting a crime/transporting contraband?

 

 

Edited March 9 by Enoon

[The Theory]

Some never learn !!! 🤔

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The incident, falling under the park's jurisdiction in Krabi Province, was reported to local police. Authorities stress responsible tourism to protect biodiversity and natural resources.

So find the boat captains, and the tour operators and ban them.

[bristolgeoff]

You can look maybe touch but do not take.that has the rule for years.everyone knows including boat owners.so doing that is a complete no no

 

 

 

[ignore it]

They look Swiss.

[CecilM]

Anyone worried by dive operators allowing novices to dive using a long hose? Crazy. 

[Bday Prang]

I'm usually wrong ,but It doesn't look very big for a commercial tour boat  , looks like the sort of boat a wealthy long stayer might own  There may have been no tour operators involved, Possibly  no Thais on board at all.

No doubt every detail will be revealed as the latest shock horror headline hits the news The media will be delighted at this latest incident  which will help them feed the current frenzy   I think they are in danger of contributing to some possible anti social reprisals if they keep up this campaign. 

The Thai population is conditioned from birth to have a healthy disdain for foreigners, the younger generation are very influenced by the crap they read on their smartphones

there's plenty of nut jobs and general wronguns amongst them, who invariably  hang around in gangs with a pack mentality, it doesn't take much to set them off at the best of times   I think there is a heightened possibility we will soon hear some good old fashioned stories of  5 Thais kicking the $h1t out of a few foreigners on the news,  doubt it will figure as prominently.

 I don't think this will be over for a while yet,  these netizens can sulk for weeks  and will be scouring the internet for further horrors, and the media will be perfectly happy pumping it out 

 

 

[Chongalulu]

20 minutes ago, CecilM said:

Anyone worried by dive operators allowing novices to dive using a long hose? Crazy. 

Potential for pulmonary barotrauma and pneumothorax by not breathing out on the ascent along with decompression sickness (bends) from uncontrolled ascents. 

[Bday Prang]

22 minutes ago, CecilM said:

Anyone worried by dive operators allowing novices to dive using a long hose? Crazy. 

might not be novices 

[2long]

Even if this behaviour was ALLOWED, then it's both unfair to the creatures whose home they're invading, and potentially dangerous for these idiots from getting stung, bitten or cut, PLUS dangerous diving profiles.

[Cabradelmar]

If you are dumb enough to post incriminating evidence on social media you deserve what's coming. Everyone involved should pay the maximum penalty under the law. 

[BritScot]

2 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

You can look maybe touch but do not take.that has the rule for years.everyone knows including boat owners.so doing that is a complete no no

 

 

 

You do not touch, just look was and is the rule. The only thing you should ever take to the surface is rubbish or lost gear you come across. It's only Thais who getaway with desecration of the sea.

[Aussie999]

3 hours ago, The Theory said:

Some never learn !!! 🤔

Do they in fact know the laws, please don't say they should, as no-one knows all the laws, of Thailand, even the cops don't, it lies firmly on the shoulds of the guides to tell the tourist... the term "guides" tells it all.

[Graham8888]

2 hours ago, Chongalulu said:

Potential for pulmonary barotrauma and pneumothorax by not breathing out on the ascent along with decompression sickness (bends) from uncontrolled ascents. 

I have dived for years am astounded by these pictures-Exactly can’t believe anyone would try this type of diving you cant make this stuff up - last picture of the guy tangled up with the hose says it all. 

[cncltd1973]

take another look at those photos - that reef is completely destroyed, it's a wasteland. looks like they picked up the only thing alive and took a photo. too late to protect anything there, it's 99% dead.

I grew up in the USVI and was a safety diver for a couple of dive outfits. If I were a paying tourist on that dive, I would demand my money back, it's all dead coral!

[sirineou]

Was he capturing marine life. or was he handling it?

Two different things, 

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Yutthapong emphasized park regulations, prohibiting activities harmful to marine life and the environment.

 As it should be, but was what he did harmful? I am not saying that it was not , I really don't know what he did. 

Does anyone have links to his posts?

11 hours ago, webfact said:

including shellfish, in Zone 7. 

What is zone 7? I googled it but could not find any info as it pertains  to Thai marine resources. 

were the shellfish protected species? 

 

[sirineou]

BY the way , what's with the air hoses? 

No BC vests, how did they control their buoyancy? 

What's the problem with strapping on a couple of 80s ?  I know, I bet few of them were certified. 

[namatjira]

Big problem, does not take much and the marine shellfish will be gone, a fragile ecosystem , lose one layer and all of it goes

.....be no reason to dive anymore after that

[Srikcir]

39 minutes ago, Graham8888 said:

I have dived for years am astounded by these pictures-Exactly can’t believe anyone would try this type of diving you cant make this stuff up - last picture of the guy tangled up with the hose says it all. 

I fear for some of the divers. They are not using Scuba nor snorkel gear, have no dive vest. It appears they are using a single hose with small mouth regulator(?). Picture shows 4-5 divers using long tubes for air - back into the boat air pump(s) / where is air coming from at what pressure? How is air pressure regulated above surface, free from engine fumes, kinks? 

In a picture background there are several divers in full Scuba gear - no issue there but is there a qualified, permitted dive master overseeing the dive? I bet not.

[sirineou]

4 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

I fear for some of the divers. They are not using Scuba nor snorkel gear, have no dive vest. It appears they are using a single hose with small mouth regulator(?). Picture shows 4-5 divers using long tubes for air - back into the boat air pump(s) / where is air coming from at what pressure? How is air pressure regulated above surface, free from engine fumes, kinks? 

In a picture background there are several divers in full Scuba gear - no issue there but is there a qualified, permitted dive master overseeing the dive? I bet not.

I thi k they are on hoses because they are not certified and cant get air tanks. 

But I don't know that for a fact,

I am certified PADI but I have not done any diving for close to 10 years 

so not sure if this is a new trend, though I don't know why if someone is certified,  would chose a hose over the freedom of tanks?

And they have no BC vests.

I cant imagine diving without a BC vest unless of course you have a dry suit, which they don't. 

It looks like a <deleted> show to me . 

[brianthainess]

Thanks for sharing                             

[Bendi]

They are not snorkeling but use some kind of oxygen from the boat. Anyway, there should be a dive master taking care. Just stupid anywhere in the world to let tourist like that go diving uncontrolled. Cant blame the tourist if the diving company dont have controll.

[cardinalblue]

Boat operators are responsible for tourist behavior…it’s called having an effective training program 

 

who should Thai media hold accountable but won’t?

[connda]

Given that state of the "reef" they should close the park completely for a decade.  Biodiversity? Where?  That's pitiful.  Just like the state of the "biodiverse" Thai forests that don't exist anymore, and for the same reasons.