Phi Phi park chief moved amid B30mn national park fee fraud probe

[webfact]

Phi Phi park chief moved amid B30mn national park fee fraud probe
Eakkapop Thongtub


An estimated B500k a day in park entry fees was allegedly stolen. Photo: Jason Bagely

PHUKET: -- The chief of the national park at Phi Phi Island has been transferred pending an investigation into a possible B30 million a month being stolen from park entry fees collected from tourists.

Chaithach Boonphupantanti, Chief of the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, was transferred to Director of Watershed Conservation on June 18.

Sarayut Tantien, the former chief at Khao Phanom Bencha National Park in Krabi, has now been installed as the new Phi Phi park chief.

“On May 17, one day prior to National Reform Council officials taking over operations at the park, the park entrance fees reported as collected was B80,360,” revealed Department of National Park ,Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) Director Nipon Chotibal.

“But the next day, when NRC officials took over managing the accounts for the park (on May 18), the entry fees collected was recorded at B522,980.”

From May 18 to June 17, the NRC officials recorded a total of B8,069,190 collected as park entry fees at Phi Phi.

“That’s an average of B500,000 more per day, so about B30 million per month has not been accounted for,” Chief Nipon said.

The NRC and the DNP have now launched investigations into the operation of Moo Koh Surin Nation Park, Moo Koh Similan National Park, Moo Koh Lanta National Park and Ao Nang National Park.

“Suspicion of defrauding the NRC and the DNP is a serious offence,” Mr Nipon said.

“And we are investigating high-level officers involved,” he added.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phi-phi-park-chief-moved-amid-b30mn-national-park-fee-fraud-probe-53786.php

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-08-24

[Artisi]

Surprise surprise, someone ripping-off the government, I would never have believed it without seeing it reported here.

[trigpoint]

Maybe they thought it was justified as it was the tourists 10x times the Thai price entrance fee.

[zaphod reborn]

Every national park that has dual pricing is being skimmed. The dual pricing actually encourages the collectors to misrepresent the number and ethnicity of visitors. They pay a fee to the boss and pocket the rest.

[roberta]

Ten times? No! At KaoYai it's twenty times! Thai person pays 20 baht; farang price 400 baht. I have learned to handle ten times, but twenty really is over the top.

[retell]

From May 18 to June 17, the NRC officials recorded a total of B8,069,190 collected as park entry fees at Phi Phi.

“That’s an average of B500,000 more per day, so about B30 million per month has not been accounted for,

?????

[crazykopite]

That is why they advertise the Kingdom as AMAZING THAILAND anything goes !!!

[richard_smith237]

the Maths assuming only foreign visitors at 400 baht national park fee

May 17th: 80,360 baht collected: Approx 200 foreign visitors

May 18th: 522,980 baht collected: Approx 1300 foreign visitors

It should be fairly easy to establish whether or not the number of visitors per day is closer to 200 or 1300.

I continue to believe the additional charge for foreigners is quite disgusting... particulalry those who can show they live here (i.e. Drivers licence, Work Permit etc) - but this has been covered numerous times in other threads and is slightly off topic.

[Ulic]

There is skimming and there is skimming. These amounts are obscene. Put him in jail until

all the money has been recovered. Follow the money trail the whole way to the top.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

is this a case of sun num na for a government that would allow dual pricing? You want to rip off tourist so you in tern get ripped off ten fold!! hehehe serves you right, greedy xenophobic F-ers!!

Edited August 24, 2015 by ALLSEEINGEYE

[madmitch]

As so often in these articles, the sums don't add up. They took over 500,000 baht in one day and just over 8m in one month. That monthly figure seems about half what it should be. Maybe the new boys skimming a bit less! Or they've missed a 1 off the front of the figure; that would add up.

It really does show up the lack of checks and balances in this country. It's not difficult for anyone to work out an approximate figure, with probably 60 - 80 speedboats a day with 20 - 30 people in each, pulling into Maya Bay. Probably 90% foreigners. Probably means everyone up the chain has been getting their cut of the action.

Several people should be facing jail sentences for this but in all likelihood those involved will be transferred to one of the National Parks that attracts half a dozen people a week. Actually that might be almost as bad as a jail sentence

[Kannikapor88]

Chaithach Boonphupantanti, Chief of the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, was transferred to Director of Watershed Conservation on June 18.

No wonder there is so much corruption and fraud when they just get transferred ... Place him under arrest until the case is thouroughly investigated and if found guilty : put him i prison for 30 years and strip all assets from his Family ...

[taninthai]

A lot of bullshiy in this story ,if you go on a guided tour you don't pay any entrance fee. If you go on the big boat it's 20 bht entrance fee.this money they are talking about is from when you take a private boat to pp,Hong,bamboo. Or pods island they want to charge you 400 but to step of the boat.

[ChrisY1]

How does a country function with so many of these people?

[madmitch]

A lot of bullshiy in this story ,if you go on a guided tour you don't pay any entrance fee. If you go on the big boat it's 20 bht entrance fee.this money they are talking about is from when you take a private boat to pp,Hong,bamboo. Or pods island they want to charge you 400 but to step of the boat.

That's wrong. In theory the Park entrance fee is included in the tour price and should be paid to the NP, however how much is actually paid is debatable. All Phi Phi tours recently increased by 200 baht to cover the increased cost of National Park entrance fee.

The 20 baht you referred to applies only to Phi Phi Don.

[ggt]

If they would quit just moving these corrupt officials from one post to another...and either place them in jail or house arrest until an investigation is completed...there might be a reduction in fraud like this...

It appears that few are punished for corruption in Thailand...just moved to another location where they can start a new scam...

[LivinginKata]

If they would quit just moving these corrupt officials from one post to another...and either place them in jail or house arrest until an investigation is completed...there might be a reduction in fraud like this...

It appears that few are punished for corruption in Thailand...just moved to another location where they can start a new scam...

Exactly ... none of these government officials ever (rarely) faces true justice. They all just get promoted up or sideways .... and the reason is that those higher up are in on the corrupt take.

[spidermike007]

When the is no deterrent, corruption is rampant. He was transferred to another paid position, for stealing up to $1 million dollars a month. Shame on the government for not doing better. Shame on the parks department. Shame on the army. He should be locked up for the rest of his life, and his family should be fined a minimum of 10 million baht.

[sammygood]

so the 20 baht for thais is maybe transferred, but the 500 baht for farang is pocketed ?