Phuket dolphinarium a step closer to reality

[webfact]

Phuket dolphinarium a step closer to reality
The Phuket News


The Nemo dolphinarium in Chalong has received approval for the Phuket facility, but has yet to be granted permission to import dolphins.

PHUKET: -- The necessary changes for the Nemo dolphinarium in Phuket to be approved are complete and the facility’s structures have been approved, The Phuket News has learned.

The changes required included installing cooling systems to lower the water temperature in the dolphinarium pool; installing air conditioning in the main arena; raising the Ph level of the water; and the addition of a second pool.

An official from the Department of Fisheries who did not want to be named told The Phuket News, “We received notification from a company named Phuket Aqua about the dolphinarium in June 2014.

“They told us the building was completed late last year. However, after inspecting it our committee did not pass for it approval and changes were needed.

“The building has since been improved, and was approved by our office in May,” she said.

However, this does not mean that the facility has the official go ahead to open as a dolphinarium as the paperwork required for importing the dolphins has yet to be received, she added.

The concept of opening a dolphinarium in Phuket received much criticism, by island residents and by world-famous environmentalists groups such as Sea Shepherd.

In an open letter to the “Phuket Tourism Board” (presumably the Tourism Authority of Thailand) and the Fisheries Department, Sea Shepherd asserted that some of the dolphins bound for the Nemo dolphinarium are coming from Ukraine, but were originally captured off the Japanese fishing village of Taiji, site of an infamous annual slaughter of dolphins at “the Cove”.

According to the CITES convention, trade in dolphins is not allowed when: the import is for primarily commercial purposes or for purposes which are considered detrimental to the survival of the species; the export is considered to be detrimental to the survival of the species; the specimens have been obtained illegally; or the proposed recipient is not suitably equipped to house and care for the animals.

Meanwhile, the trade in bottlenose dolphins is allowed under certain conditions: the export must not be detrimental to the survival of the species and the animals must have been legally obtained and exported. Shipments must also be in accordance with the IATA Live Animal Regulations.

The official said, “We don’t know what type of dolphins they are or where they will come from yet, but many dolphins are imported from Japan. So the CITES documents must be checked carefully. “If they are found to breach the CITES convention then they will not be allowed.”

The official also explained that if they do allow the dolphins to be used at the dolphinarium, then officials from the Department of Fisheries will visit the venue every year to ensure standards are being maintained and met.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-dolphinarium-a-step-closer-to-reality-52987.php

-- Phuket News 2015-06-30

[HeijoshinCool]

Oh, good. More poorly cared for exploited animals living with depression.

[tx22cb]

Considering the state, size (and smell) of some of the enclosures at various Thai zoos, I fear the worst for the dolphins. 10/10 should not keep intelligent mammals in enclosed artificial concrete pools.

In fact, I would gladly break the 5-person law and join a protest outside the "dolphinarium".

[LivinginKata]

Let's all hope this place never opens.

[HeijoshinCool]

Sadly, it will.

If they don't pass muster, they'll just pass baht.

[BigBadGeordie]

Thailand has an aircraft carrier without aircraft, why not a dolphinarium without dolphins?

Could be a major tourist attraction?

[Guest]

PHUKET: -- The necessary changes for the Nemo dolphinarium in Phuket to be approved are complete and the facility’s structures have been approved, The Phuket News has learned.

The changes required included installing cooling systems to lower the water temperature in the dolphinarium pool; installing air conditioning in the main arena; raising the Ph level of the water; and the addition of a second pool.

If they failed to provide even the basic needs for the dolphins at the first place and added those only when it was required by the government, how they are going to take a good care of the animals in the future..

[KarenBravo]

Don't worry. It was built for the Russian market and the Russians are gone.

The commissions they will have to pay to bring the Chinese will be enough that they won't be able to make money.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

[quandow]

Oh, good. More poorly cared for exploited animals living with depression.

I would add a "like this" to your tally but apparently there is a maximum allowed now.

[quandow]

Let's all hope this place never opens.

I would add a "like this" to your tally but apparently there is a maximum allowed now.

[Toknarok]

Hasn't Thailand just recently passed new legislation concerning cruelty to animals? Perhaps this law could be used to prevent appalling places such as this from operating. Having inter reacted with dolphins in the wild at Monkey Mia and Bunbury in W. Australia so called dolphinariums sicken me.

[overherebc]

One more good reason not to go to phucket, lower case p intentional.

[Dibbler]

Money can overcome all hurdles, even legal ones, in this case to import dolphins from Japan. Watch carefully as the Department of Fisheries refuses to discuss this issue after the dolphins arrive in Phuket...

[NamKangMan]

Don't worry. It was built for the Russian market and the Russians are gone.

The commissions they will have to pay to bring the Chinese will be enough that they won't be able to make money.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

I agree KB, unless the Chinese buy it at a firesale, after it's gone broke.

[Crazy chef 1]

Don't worry. It was built for the Russian market and the Russians are gone.

The commissions they will have to pay to bring the Chinese will be enough that they won't be able to make money.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

me too but due the dolphins will be dead by then...

[KarenBravo]

Don't worry. It was built for the Russian market and the Russians are gone.

The commissions they will have to pay to bring the Chinese will be enough that they won't be able to make money.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

me too but due the dolphins will be dead by then...

Dolphin steaks?

[Crazy chef 1]

Don't worry. It was built for the Russian market and the Russians are gone.

The commissions they will have to pay to bring the Chinese will be enough that they won't be able to make money.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

me too but due the dolphins will be dead by then...

Dolphin steaks?

starved or drown...

[rijit]

Don't worry. It was built for the Russian market and the Russians are gone.

The commissions they will have to pay to bring the Chinese will be enough that they won't be able to make money.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

me too but due the dolphins will be dead by then...

Dolphin steaks?

starved or drown...

Steamed !!

rijit

[rijit]

Places like this should be banned

worldwide let alone in thailand where imo they have a proven track record of incompetancy, dont believe me? Go look at changmai zoo, very unfortunatly on one very bored

afternoon i did, i left in somewhere between tears and blind rage!!

Absolutely totally shocking

rijit

Edited June 30, 2015 by rijit

[bangon04]

Thailand has an aircraft carrier without aircraft, why not a dolphinarium without dolphins?

Could be a major tourist attraction?

if they extend it a bit, they can keep one of the new submarines there. Charge people a dollar just to see it.... go down, and up, and down, and up and down.....

[Neurath]

Disgusting places full of misery.

[bangon04]

PHUKET: -- The necessary changes for the Nemo dolphinarium in Phuket to be approved are complete and the facility’s structures have been approved, The Phuket News has learned.

The changes required included installing cooling systems to lower the water temperature in the dolphinarium pool; installing air conditioning in the main arena; raising the Ph level of the water; and the addition of a second pool.

If they failed to provide even the basic needs for the dolphins at the first place and added those only when it was required by the government, how they are going to take a good care of the animals in the future..

yes these were not minor adjustments, they were fundamental and obvious enough even for government officials to understand.

[fester the benevolent]

Oh, good. More poorly cared for exploited animals living with depression.

Just for clarity, are you referring to the dolphins or the tourists getting bused in and forced to watch the shows?

[BigBadGeordie]

Disgusting places full of misery.

Is that all resorts in Thailand or Phuket in particular?

:-; :-)

Edited July 1, 2015 by BigBadGeordie

[NamKangMan]

Don't worry. It was built for the Russian market and the Russians are gone.

The commissions they will have to pay to bring the Chinese will be enough that they won't be able to make money.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

I give them a year before they have to close down...........if they ever open.

me too but due the dolphins will be dead by then...

Dolphin steaks?

starved or drown...

Probably "over trained" and / or worked to death.

[NamKangMan]

Oh, good. More poorly cared for exploited animals living with depression.

Just for clarity, are you referring to the dolphins or the tourists getting bused in and forced to watch the shows?

"or the tourists getting bused in and forced to watch the shows" - that will only happen after the Chinese buy it.

[FBlue72]

Considering the state, size (and smell) of some of the enclosures at various Thai zoos, I fear the worst for the dolphins. 10/10 should not keep intelligent mammals in enclosed artificial concrete pools.

In fact, I would gladly break the 5-person law and join a protest outside the "dolphinarium".

Just hold up a couple of "We support the Junta" signs and no problem.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1435667896&section=00

Edited July 2, 2015 by FBlue72

[LivinginKata]

Phuketwan just reported that the Department of Fisheries has approved the import permit for the Dolphins. Terrible news ...

[robertthebruce]

Exactly Terrible news.... Poor Dolphins....

Animal exploitation is rife in Thailand.....

Shocking...

[rijit]

Truly horrible news. Makes thailand looked 3rd world.

rijit