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Phi Phi requests more patrol boats, buoys and staff
Phuket Gazette


A national-level investigation by the DNP uncovered stark discrepancies in the number of visitors and the amount of money accounted for. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- An expert adviser from Bangkok submitted a proposal for more boats, buoys and staff to man Phi Phi national park. The proposal was submitted to the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) this month.

“The national park covers more than 200,000 rai. However, they only have four officers and two small boats, which is just unbelievable,” said Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a member of the National Reform Council, who is at the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park as a policy adviser (story here).

The proposal requests three additional patrol boats, 125 buoys and about 15 more officers to be dedicated to care for the park.

Dr Thon’s efforts follow a two-month, national-level investigation by the DNP launched in May that uncovered unnerving discrepancies in the number of visitors to the park and the actual amount of money that could officially be accounted for.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phi-Phi-requests-patrol-boats-buoys-staff/62428?desktopversion


-- Phuket Gazette 2015-11-23

[cockatoowho]

When something becomes too rusty it tends to break, if the rust of corruption in this country is not immediately tendererd to, that is exactly what will happen here,Thailand will snap in two like a dry twig.

[zaphod reborn]

We realized only four staff are collecting all the foreigner 10x pricing fees being charged, and realized that many more staff would increase the fee collection, and the commission payments for the senior park supervisors.

[tuanku]

Sounds from the story like less staff would directly equate to less corruption.

Seriously this is a supervision and accountability issue and nothing to do with under-manning.

And how exactly do 125 buoys help to stop the park officials pocketing the park entry fees?

What is the role of the boat and resort operators in the disappearing fees - are they collecting them and then passing a portion over to the officials?? Why are there all those resorts there anyway if it is a National Park??? The tsunami gave them a unique opportunity to return Koh Phi Phi to the state it should be in - wasted.

The whole scenario is a testament to the inability of government agencies to effectively regulate ANYTHING and the failure to stand up to influential vested interests.