Objections To Breakwater, Reef-planes In Sea, Dead Whale Shark

MiniVDO: Most local fishermen in Chalong still disagree with the breakwater for marina

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Government officials, business people and local fishermen at Chalong Bay on the south east side of the Phuket island yesterday participated in a public hearing session for the Chalong marina project development. The session, held by the Marine Department with a consultant company, sought public and stakeholders’ opinions on the second phase of the project construction. They discussed the altered plan with a changed number of berths from 200 down to 100 and from a rubble mound breakwater to floating breakwater. Most local fishermen still voiced their disagreement with a breakwater. The fishermen representatives said they would discuss the proposal with their group again.

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MiniVDO: 10 decommissioned planes will be put in the sea off Bangtao Bay in Phuket as artificial reefs.

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The Royal Thai Air force has approved to donate 10 of its decommissioned planes and helicopters to dump into the Andaman Sea off Bangtao bay in Phuket to be used as artificial reef like ‘fish apartments’ to create new diving sites in the region. Phuket Vice Governor Worapote Ratasrima held a meeting with related officials in preparation for the installation work which is scheduled for May 5th. According to the meeting, four decommissioned DAKOTA C47 planes which served in the Korean and Vietnam wars and six helicopters will be put in the designated site, about 1 kilometre from shore. The operation, is under the cooperation of the Thai Diving Association or TDA, Marine and Coastal Conservation centre and Phuket Tourism Sports and Recreation office. It is expected that it can add 3 more diving locations in Bangtao bay with estimated divers of over 2,000 annually.

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MiniVDO: A whale shark was found trapped in fishing nets in Krabi.

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The whale shark, presumed to be 5 years old, was found trapped in local fishermen’s nets near Klong Sai beach in Krabi. A local fisherman Werachai Butlee, spotted it and tried to release it, but failed to save its life. The villagers then used two fishing boats to tow it to shore and notified local fisheries officials. Expert state that this whale shark relied on plankton and was not harmful to humans. They are usually found in Phang-Nga bay. This species is quite rare to find. A marine biologist says it may have got lost from its family and got trapped then killed in a local fishing net.

from Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Friday 14 March 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th