Koh Phangan farang social media scores an environmental victory against Makro!

[Taco]

Most people in Koh Phangan have welcomed the arrival of Makro to Koh Phangan this year with open arms and wallets especially resort owners and restaurant owners like myself. But, I was truly disappointed when I saw an entire freezer full of shark fins for sale in a store on an island that has over 20 dive shops. I was thinking who the hell is going to buy this in Koh Phangan and why would Makro sell such a shameful product?

I contacted a close friend in the dive industry and plotted a plan to start a grass roots boycott on Makro and before I had an official letter typed up and translated in Thai my dive instructor friends got on Makro's facebook page and gave them one star ratings and voiced their outrage on selling shark fins. We are a fairly close knit farang community in Phangan and the comments snowballed on Makro's facebook and POOF the shark fins were pulled. Today I spoke the the general manager and thanked him for pulling the shameful products and he said that due to our comments he had them pulled out of all Makros nationwide!!!!

Fellow thaivisa memebers go and check your local Makro and see if this is true and if not get on their facebook and lay into them.

It's going to be 2015 in around a week, people need to wake up. This planet is not as big as it seems, is fragile and we are all responsible to keep it as good as or in better shape then the day we were born. If you see something that you know is wrong do something about it. Its not as hard as you think.

[sdanielmcev]

Well, people eat shark meat. What are they supposed to do with the fins? Let them rot so you can feel good? That computer/phone/tablet you wrote that post with is worse for the environment than eating shark fin soup.

[mat999]

I saw a program where they were just cutting the fins off and throwing the rest of the shark back into the sea, presumably to die a rather nasty death.

[Hedghog]

My local Macro still stocks the full range.

Priced from Bht 550 up to Bht 1550 per pack.

It appears to be selling well,as there is a large Chinese community here.

[h90]

Well, people eat shark meat. What are they supposed to do with the fins? Let them rot so you can feel good? That computer/phone/tablet you wrote that post with is worse for the environment than eating shark fin soup.

no sharks will be finned and put back into the sea. Most shark meat isn't good.

[neverdie]

Well, people eat shark meat. What are they supposed to do with the fins? Let them rot so you can feel good? That computer/phone/tablet you wrote that post with is worse for the environment than eating shark fin soup.

Not to mention his resort which was probably built on land once covered by forest, one that burns through tonnes of electricity that made from burning coal to run the aircon systems the resort runs to attract the thousands of tourist that arrive each year to the resort by flying in on those massive gas guzzling A380 aircraft....all whilst pumping their sewerage directly out to sea via the shoddy and cheaply constructed septic system.....all for profit, of course.

5555555. Those people in their Ivory towers

[Hedghog]

[ubonr1971]

also still for sale where I live in issan

[marko kok prong]

Most sharks fins,come from sharks that are caught for the fins alone,which are sliced off and the still living shark tossed back into the ocean,this has contributed to a decline in shark numbers,which as an apex predator is bad news for marine eco systems,i for one applaud the actions of the op and his fellows.

[jpeg]

Well, people eat shark meat. What are they supposed to do with the fins? Let them rot so you can feel good? That computer/phone/tablet you wrote that post with is worse for the environment than eating shark fin soup.

Ignorant post. The fins ONLY are cut from the backs of the sharks whose entire bodies, having been rendered unable to swim, sink to the bottom of the sea. Educate yourself. Christ

[harryfrompattaya]

Next are you going to be upset about Chickens?

I am not joking but please see a Nut Doctor.

[jpeg]

Next are you going to be upset about Chickens?

I am not joking but please see a Nut Doctor.

Well. I had no idea they simply cut off the feet only for your 'girlfriend' to gnaw on

[buddy]

Well, people eat shark meat. What are they supposed to do with the fins? Let them rot so you can feel good? That computer/phone/tablet you wrote that post with is worse for the environment than eating shark fin soup.

Sorry sdanielmcev it is the other way round, Shark fins are eaten and the shark meat is discarded, this cruel procurement is called shark finning where fishermen cut the fins off the sharks then throw them back in the sea alive for them to drown.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0p_LdfgmxQ

[Seastallion]

Shark finning is abominable.

As abominable as the tub of skinned frogs I saw in the market ....all the frogs were still alive, hopping and crawling over each other. I'll never eat frog again unless it's skinned by the cook after dispatching it.

[arthurwait]

You've seen Jaws right ?