Coral Reef Madness

[Jose]

There is a round-the-island tourist operator with a large brown ex-navy (long) boat operating out of Bantai pier in Koh Pha-Ngan. This boat used to be run by a falang, but it has been re-fitted and perhaps may now have different owners.

Anyway, this morning on their way to pick up tourists in (probably) Thongsala, they sailed metres away from the edge of the local Bantai coral reef and promptly dumped the contents of a 200-litre blue plastic rubbish bin into the sea. Plastic, bottles, all kinds of crap flew out the back of the speeding boat. Watching this vandalism left me so enraged that if it wasn't for the Songkran celebrations, I would have caught up with these thugs to let them (and their clients) know how I feel about their wanton destruction.

It seems totally pointless to have an onboard rubbish bin if it all ends up in the sea, and dumped on the last remaining semi-healthy local coral reef at that.

I know that local fishing boats dump all their rubbish overboard, but is this the way to operate an eco-tourist outfit?

Is it possible the boat's (Thai?) crew is vandalizing the reef without the operator's knowledge?

Are there any enforceable laws regarding the disposal of waste around a coral reef?

If anyone here has any contact with this lot, please, ask them to stop.

[H2oDunc]

Watching this vandalism left me so enraged that if it wasn't for the Songkran celebrations, I would have caught up with these thugs to let them (and their clients) know how I feel about their wanton destruction.

But I didn't I just carried on drinking and throwing water about and only posted of my complete anger here on the forum ?????

Real upset about it then ??????

Whats Songkran got to do with complaining about it.

[Jose]

But I didn't I just carried on drinking and throwing water about and only posted of my complete anger here on the forum ?????

And what makes you think I was "drinking and throwing water" at the time? Not everyone is interested in your kind of lifestyle.

Whats Songkran got to do with complaining about it.

Songkran had to do with the fact that the roads were blocked at the time, and I would not be able to catch up with these thugs.

[Jose]

SS Orion, aka SS Coral Vandal:

Closeup of the conveniently-placed garbage disposal system:

[MSingh]

SS Orion, aka SS Coral Vandal:

Closeup of the conveniently-placed garbage disposal system:

That is quite outrageous but sorry, i haven't got a clue what you should do about it to be honest..

[PoorSucker]

SS Orion, aka SS Coral Vandal

Prefixes for civilian vessels identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship.

Sorry didn't mean to such a mechersmitter.

[Jose]

Prefixes for civilian vessels identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship.

Shows you how much I know about naval prefixes...

Let's try again:

nb Orion, aka GS Coral Vandal.

* ("GS" for GarbageShip)

[Chayaphum]

"dumped the contents of a 200-litre blue plastic rubbish bin into the sea. Plastic, bottles, all kinds of crap"

What do you expect of the people here?

T.I.T = This is Thailandstyle

No feeling for the preservation of the environment.

Such things makes me really sad.

Egotistical people who only think of the moment.

Sad, ugly, incomprehensible, unbelievable

Chayaphum

[samuibeachcomber]

yes really sickening,times like this makes you want to carry a gun and use it.Thailand is really a huge garbage dump,there's not one place i've been to here that you could call clean.If it was n't for the ladies i'd be back in australia,beautiful beaches and clean.

[Mark Wolfe]

Get good photographic evidence and sent it all to the Bangkok Post letters section. A copy editor might pitch it for a standalone. I'd submit several and write your own captions for them.

[BigSnake]

A bloody Shame, but the greedy, money, profit seeking folks have no shame. They could care less what are done to the fish, other creature and human souls that MIGHT take a dip in this water. SAD

[sbk]

The Songserm boat used to dump their rubbish in the sea, since I never take that boat anymore I don't know if they still do it.

Best course of action is to take photos of the dumping and either post them on the Surat Thani governor's webboard, or take the photos to the Port Authority offices opposite the Seatrans office at the new govt pier.

[Jose]

Fri 12th June 2009, 7:40am:

Garbage cruiser empties its large blue rubbish bin on the KPG Bantai coast again, within a few metres of the coral as usual.

The sad fact is that just about every sea vessel does the same.

My guess is that 90% of rubbish washes up on the beach from wholesale refuse thrown overboard.

And even if a rubbish bin with "please don't litter" sign was placed every 10 metres along the coastline, it would not make a difference.

TIT

[baza]

theres an old saying ,somthing about educating idiots ,you cant ,we all have to live with it,its a discrace i m with you

[BusyBee123]

yes it is sad. I was more annoyed when i went on a snorkel day with what i thought was a good company but in the usual thai way i ended up on a seatran day as the other firm was booked!!!, when we hit koh tao we went snorkelling ( i wasn't fussed about it as it was for the girlfriend) but i came back and sat on the boat, as i looked into the water the toilet flushed and shit and tissue flowed right next to the ladder everyone got on to get back onto the boat, now that disgusted me. I might add one of the seatran divers only went out to pick up plastic bottles and shit that was on the coral and sea bed, such a shame they didn't realise their paseenegers were at risk of serious illness. Then they took us to mango bay which is where a lot of sewage is pumped out, never will i go on a tour trip again.

[Mark Wolfe]

Fri 12th June 2009, 7:40am:

Garbage cruiser empties its large blue rubbish bin on the KPG Bantai coast again, within a few metres of the coral as usual.

And then you post a photo, but the picture is just of a boat; I see nothing being dumped. Is this the wrong photo?

[Macx]

Maybe you can do something about it, maybe you can't.

But it's worth a try so at least you don't sound like another impotent whiner.

It's all rather weird.

I've been to potentially gorgeous islands in Thailand where the inhabitants live ankle-deep in their own garbage, and I've been in tiny Issan villages where people take real pride in keeping their modest hovels and dirt roads pristine (but, of course, they love to burn everything).

Some Thai people do care and they shame each other into keeping the land clean.

Now whenever Thais ask me how do I like Thailand, I just tell them the truth: Good food, fun culture, but too much trash everywhere.

[Jose]

And then you post a photo, but the picture is just of a boat; I see nothing being dumped. Is this the wrong photo?

I so totally understand your doubts and need for absolute proof, Mark.

So just for your benefit, I will swim out 500m to the coral reef every morning and wait there with camera in hand ready, just on the off chance the Orion crew dumps their garbage within photo range.

The trash problem is only the symptom of a general Thai malady: generally speaking, locals could not care less.

Dump/burn/spread dangerous/deadly materials into the local environment? Don't care.

Poison food with deadly industrial toxins such as formalin, borax and DDT? Don't care.

Drill/grind asbestos roof tiles and watch the resulting deadly cloud spread downwind to neighbours' lungs? Don't care.

Release untreated raw sewerage into the dying tropical reef lagoon area (Thongsala)? Don't care.

Drive dangerously and take massive risks with other people's lives? Don't care.

Allow very loud Thai "rock" band with dancing semi-naked girls, on a stage set within Buddhist temple grounds(Wat Po, Bantai, tonight)? Don't care.

Make the connection between the collapse of the local fish stocks and the destruction of the reefs (or "rocks")? Huh?

Make the connection between reduced tourist income and the destruction of the local environment? Huh?

We live in Don't Care Land.

[smallprawn]

Watching this vandalism left me so enraged that if it wasn't for the Songkran celebrations, I would have caught up with these thugs to let them (and their clients) know how I feel about their wanton destruction.

But I didn't I just carried on drinking and throwing water about and only posted of my complete anger here on the forum ?????

Real upset about it then ??????

Whats Songkran got to do with complaining about it.

Bit harsh no?

I see your point but the OP was mearly highlighting a problem/cause of pollution on Samuis beaches. A genuine concern for residents, busineses and visitors. It concerns me and should concern most that live here. Taking the time to make people aware of things like this is at least a start and I for one appreciate the time taken to inform us.

[Mark Wolfe]

Jose:

I so totally understand your doubts and need for absolute proof, Mark.

So just for your benefit, I will swim out 500m to the coral reef every morning and wait there with camera in hand ready, just on the off chance the Orion crew dumps their garbage within photo range.

That would be good.

Seriously, posting a photo of a boat and claiming that it is the one that is dumping is pretty much false accusation, or in Thaivisa parlance -- libel. You could post a photo of any boat and say the same thing and it's just your own claim with a photo as "evidence" that shows nothing. I don't even see any garbage or anything floating near the boat, so even circumstantial evidence is lacking.

This isn't the Lock Ness Monster, you know. If they really blatantly dump as you say, it should be fairly straight forward to get a photo of it happening. Take the tour, stake out the boat, do what you have to if you think exposing them is important. But then you seem to make it out to be nearly impossible to see this happening: 500m away over a coral reef and an "off chance" that something will happen....

Remember BBC's problems with neighbors dumping? His photographic evidence was pretty convincing. Is yours?

[cognos]

..This is one of the worst things about LOS

[Jose]

..This is one of the worst things about LOS

I'd say it's the worst, because the ubiquitous trash is almost unavoidable wherever you go.

And the more dangerous stuff has the potential to severely impact one's health when it eventually makes its way into our lungs, stomachs or even brains (which could explain a lot of the bizarre behaviour about).