Artists spark outrage by felling 143-year-old tree in Krabi

[webfact]

Artists Spark Outrage By Felling 143-Year-Old Tree in Krabi
By Khaosod English


Katsumi Mukai (L) and Kamol Thassanachalee cutting down a tree in Krabi province. [Photo:Akradej Chakjinda]

KRABI — Two artists have come under fire for cutting down a 143-old tree in Krabi province for an art installation.

Katsumi Mukai, a Japanese wood sculptor, and Kamol Thassanachalee, a well-known Thai artist, drew heavy criticism after photos of the felled tree in Krabi began circulating on social media.

“I’m really feeling down hearing that trees were cut for an artist to create artwork,” Suchart Sawatsri, another famous Thai artist and writer, said in response to the photos. “I am really disgusted by what he’s done.”

According to the Mayor of Krabi province, the owner of the land where the tree stood gave the artists permission to cut it down for their sculpture exhibition at Krabi's Andaman Art Gallery.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1424262128

-- Khaosod English 2015-02-19

[hanno]

Idiots!

[graym]

Disgraceful....

[TVGerry]

"Art"!

[yogavnture]

the tree itself was art till the turds cut it down now its a wilted mess. and pile of logs

[Lupatria]

Outrage? Where is it when influential figures chop down ship loads of trees for personal gain?

[2fishin2]

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

[hanno]

Outrage? Where is it when influential figures chop down ship loads of trees for personal gain?

Doesn't make it right. I mean, many people commit murder, does it make it right for me to kill someone? Flawed logic.

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

Giving a damn about the environment make me a nutcase, does it? And personally I would be more than happy if my food had no additives. Wonder who the nutcase is?

[EmptyHead]

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

I'd like to try that out for a while.

[A1Str8]

What a pile of sh1t those two.

[marko kok prong]

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

No it was a living tree,now it is a piece of wood.

[simtemple]

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

Yes we get what you are saying - you have opened your stupid mouth and confirmed that you are a bloody Philistine! ....."you get what im am saying"

[Pomthai]

Why is this one single tree being singled out as a devastating event? There are hundreds cut down globally daily. Why the fuss? I agree with protecting the environment etc and moderation, but this feigned outrage is just stupid and ridiculous. There far more important things in the world to get all up ones self about than one tree out of millions. I'm not saying cutting the thing down is right, however the outrage is BS and wrong, total fake, and plastic. The social media equivalent of jumping on the bandwagon and getting mad just because everyone else is.

I think its moronic.

[Baerboxer]

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

Yes we get what you are saying - you have opened your stupid mouth and confirmed that you are a bloody Philistine! ....."you get what im am saying"

He'd be the one all the other Philistines called a Philistine!

Moronic Japanese - and so typical of a nation where many couldn't give a toss about the environment or what any other nationality thinks. Whale meet sandwich anyone while you watch the latest nuclear melt down?

[pedro01]

Well - if you click the link you'll see the 'art'.

Basically, tree trunks with holes cut in them.

Looks like something a 10 year old could have done.

[Briggsy]

In the UK, trees are often protected irrespective of whose land they are on. i.e. the owner would have to overcome a preservation order to cut them down.

Thailand is much more unregulated, chaotic in terms of enforcement and favourable for owners of land and capital.

There should be an onus on the artists and the land owner to replant a number of trees of different valuable species along with follow up in 10 years. Of course no such thing will happen.

[2fishin2]

Wow the TV family stoops to name calling over a cut tree....just when you think the world is falling apart because of this group ISIS, the TV brigade says nooooooooooo off with your head if you cut a tree down.

What a bunch of mad lunatics some people are!

[iReason]

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

Uh, no.

I don't get what you are saying.

(I do get the rambling disconnected rhetoric.)

Just to clarify, you are saying that people who want food to be organically grown with no additives, are "nut cases"?

You've got my vote for the most absurd statement of the year so far.

[2fishin2]

If the owner of the tree gave permission for someone to cut it down, then we have no say so. Its his property and can do what he wants.

[Pomthai]

Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying

Uh, no.

I don't get what you are saying.

(I do get the rambling disconnected rhetoric.)

Just to clarify, you are saying that people who want food to be organically grown with no additives, are "nut cases"?

You've got my vote for the most absurd statement of the year so far.

Ya know, a lot of them probably are nut cases ya know? Have you seen people who eat Tofu?...... I rest my case.

/the small print that I think is unwarranted but sometimes needs to be said "This post is meant to be humurous and taken as such" I wish no ill to anyone that ate, eats or has even even considered eating tofu. In fact I offer only sympathy.

No tofu's were harmed during the making of this post.

[Expat Brad]

"Its a piece of wood for christ sake and the owner gave permission. If it were up to many of the nut cases in the world, everything would be organically grown, no additives, no killing of animals, no driving of vehicles etc.....you get what im saying"

It's the not give a fxxxk mentality like yours that is helping destroy this world & hey whats wrong with eating organic food with no additives either?....................you get what I'm saying?

[2fishin2]

What I get out of some of these absurd comments is that some of you believe you have to to push your own selfish values and opinions onto another person or persons. Nothing they are doing/did is illegal. SMH

[Keesters]

Did the owner of the land have the right to give permission? When I questioned the felling of a >50 year old tree in Pattaya I was told by some residents that the owner of the land shouldn't have felled the tree without permission from city hall which apparently she didn't have. Nobody was interested in furthering the matter as they said 'it wouldn't bring the tree back'. I miss that tree.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Keesters

[Pomthai]

http://www.answers.com/Q/How_many_trees_get_cut_down_a_day

Whine and get angry about that. Not one tree in Krabi just because social media says so. <deleted> get some perspective.

[tw25rw]

Outrage? Where is it when influential figures chop down ship loads of trees for personal gain?

It's there as well. But this is just waste.

[Userone]

The deep yellow-orange color is very indicative of Jackfruit.. a.k.a "Kanoon." The age of the tree may be a sign that it has stopped producing, producing infrequently, or producing subpar. This would also point to why such cheap art was produced, the wood is very low quality.

[cgphuket]

Selfishness in Thailand? I cannot believe...

[facthailand]

Sure, acres of forest are logged every day. But not here, where we live. Here in Thailand, all the timber worth money was clearcut years ago. And now we're clearcutting Burma.

Some readers may remember Phra Prajak. He ordained the trees to stop logging.

He had the right idea. Thai attitudes are all about respect for elders. If you don't think a 143-year old tree is not your family, you're completely in denial.

This tree gave shade to people, homes and food to birds and insects, and did its part for all of us to actually have air to breathe.

I hope the kamma of these 'artists' is to never sell a piece of art for the rest of their lives.

[tif]

Outrage? Where is it when influential figures chop down ship loads of trees for personal gain?

Because, artists do not come under the get out clause that are 'influential figures'. Duh. Nowhere in the civilised world would an artist, any artist, be party to the wanton destruction of the environment. THAT would cause 'outrage' on a global scale, not so in <deleted> Asia and specifically SFB Thailand. Geddit?

[Lite Beer]

Save Krabi group voices protest against giant tree chopping to turn into works of art

KRABI: -- An environment conscious group in Krabi on Monday issued a statement expressing their sorrow for the Krabi Muang muncipality’s recent decision to cut down a 140-year old Mahad tree and to turn it into five pieces of art by a Thai national artist and a Japanese sculptor.

The group which called itself the Save Krabi said that the chopping down of the huge old tree was improper and went contrary to the municipality’s principle to create an awareness in environment and natural resources conservation.

The five pieces of art are about 80 percent complete and they are to be kept at the private property of Mr Kiratisak Phukaoluan, the mayor.

The project has raised mixed reactions from supporters and opponents in the social media.

The Save Krabi group said that they earlier asked the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the Krabi Muang municipality’s allegedly excessive spending on the procurement of a stainless sculptural work in commemorating the 2506 tsunami tragedy and, so far, there has been no progress about the case.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/save-krabi-group-voices-protest-giant-tree-chopping-turn-works-art

-- Thai PBS 2015-02-23