Chinese tour boats not paying national park fees near Koh Phi Phi

[webfact]

Chinese tour boats not paying national park fees near Koh Phi Phi
Thaivisa Reporters


Image: Thairath

KRABI:-- Patrols out checking in the Koh Phi Phi area found many tour boats filled with Chinese tourists not paying national park entrance fees.

The patrols were actually looking for safety violations and boats not following guidelines to protect coral reefs and other endangered natural resources but say they found tour boats in park waters with tourists snorkeling without paying the proper fees.

Authorities said at this time there were some 10,000 visitors a day to the Noparat Beach/ Phi Phi area of Krabi. Most of these are Chinese tour groups with some Europeans.

Unscrupulous operators pocket money intended for the parks by either landing only some of the tourists or use park waters without paying at all.

Fees were collected and warnings given to violators.


-- 2016-04-01

[casualbiker]

So the title should be.. Thais tour boat operators not paying their dues but making money from the Chinese who will get blamed!

It's not difficult.. Station a boat or a floating harbour at the entrance then check their paperwork!

Edited April 1, 2016 by casualbiker

[craigt3365]

Some time ago the reported the officials in charge of that park were pocketing a fair amount of these fees. Congrats to the Chinese! Thai parks are in a terrible state.

[SOTIRIOS]

....wonder what the headline and story read like in Thai...

...here it implies the Chinese are doing something wrong.....again....

[GSPaul]

What entrance? There are many islands and many ways to the National park which covers hundreds of square kilometres. Boats enter from Krabi, Ao Nang, Phuket and Phang Nga.

Cost of park fees used to be included in the price of many trips. Nearly all tour operators are now charging separately for park fees with the boat staff collecting the fees - they then have an incentive to avoid paying the park fees and pocketing the cash. Since there are only 4-5 Park employees based on the islands they have no chance to catch them all and may be being paid to turn a blind eye.

A solution would be to collect park fees before boarding using park employees. To make this work boats would have to be licensed to enter park waters and embarkation limited to designated boarding points.

1. Extra employment paid for by the missing fees.

2. Some level of control over the number of visitors entering the park.

3. The possibility of removing the licences of boats damaging coral, failing to stop their passengers littering, or defecating on the beach ( yes some visitors do , as there are no toilets on many islands)

This would take organisation, a wish to improve and reduce the income for a few local fat cats. No chance TiT!

[northernboy]

Some time ago the reported the officials in charge of that park were pocketing a fair amount of these fees. Congrats to the Chinese! Thai parks are in a terrible state.

This tells us more about you than, the park officials.or the parks.

[mesterm]

You wanted them. Now deal with it.

[kiwikeith]

So the title should be.. Thais tour boat operators not paying their dues but making money from the Chinese who will get blamed!

It's not difficult.. Station a boat or a floating harbour at the entrance then check their paperwork!

Chinese tours always have a guide, I used to drive tours in NZ with Chinese and Koreans.

The guide does the bussines, he/ she would have collected the fees (probably more than the real fee) then paid the boat driver a back hand, maybe some staff at the park also in the divvy up.

What the tour guides were also good at was charging the tours up to 20 to 30 dollars US for free venues, If I caught them doing it they would offer me some of it.

We had to keep quiet as they would change tour companies and no jobs for us.

Eventually they got their own Busses and drivers and lots of small bus co's went under.

We had to make detours when passing NZ Tourist shops as the tour guides would direct us to back St Shop factories owned by Chinese and rip the hell out of the tour, at the same time telling them they were getting bargains.

Already here they have their own Busses and you can be assured that all of the above and more is going on.

Chinese tourists are of no benefit to LOS they are only benefiting corrupt officials and their own.

[khun custard]

Like most, I've often been offended by having to pay 400% more than Thai's to visit national parks etc.

To visit the Grand Palace in BK last Thursday it was a TB500 ticket from me and free for the wife and daughter.

To think that these Chinese tour groups are paying the same as foreigners who live in Thailand or are visitors would be extremely optimistic

[craigt3365]

Some time ago the reported the officials in charge of that park were pocketing a fair amount of these fees. Congrats to the Chinese! Thai parks are in a terrible state.

This tells us more about you than, the park officials.or the parks.

Thanks. I do care about the national parks and want them well maintained. And I don't like our fees going into corrupt park officials pockets.

[Ulic]

Fees for foreigners are steep. Boat charter operators pocket the fee the Chinese think

they have paid. It is not the Chinese who are skipping out it is the tour operators.

[Lopchan]

This is a disgusting piece of journalism / headline writing. There is no other reason than to fuel clicks from the TV "I hate the Chinese" crew. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the Chinese tourists whether the owners / captains pay the fees or not. They pay their ticket price and once that transaction is complete, all responsibility falls on the boat operators.

I'll say it again, disgusting, racist bent on a headline just to get clicks from those who are bitter against all except themselves.

[ujayujay]

I would say that the Thai authorities draw tourists unscrupulous money out of pocket.

[ICECOOL]

Its hardly rocket science. Each boat would /should have GPS. Require them to submit details on a regular basis and match it to their declarations.

Appropriate warnings,fines etc followed by revocation of licence for repeated offences

[kbelyeu]

Its called AIS and is only required for foreign boats..

[stevenl]

What entrance? There are many islands and many ways to the National park which covers hundreds of square kilometres. Boats enter from Krabi, Ao Nang, Phuket and Phang Nga.

Cost of park fees used to be included in the price of many trips. Nearly all tour operators are now charging separately for park fees with the boat staff collecting the fees - they then have an incentive to avoid paying the park fees and pocketing the cash. Since there are only 4-5 Park employees based on the islands they have no chance to catch them all and may be being paid to turn a blind eye.

A solution would be to collect park fees before boarding using park employees. To make this work boats would have to be licensed to enter park waters and embarkation limited to designated boarding points.

1. Extra employment paid for by the missing fees.

2. Some level of control over the number of visitors entering the park.

3. The possibility of removing the licences of boats damaging coral, failing to stop their passengers littering, or defecating on the beach ( yes some visitors do , as there are no toilets on many islands)

This would take organisation, a wish to improve and reduce the income for a few local fat cats. No chance TiT!

Starting today a crackdown was announced. Only boats with permit would be allowed, and park fees would be collected. For a long time already, all boats not offloading in Maya bay or landing elsewhere, have not collected nor paid national park fees.

[oldsailor35]

So the title should be.. Thais tour boat operators not paying their dues but making money from the Chinese who will get blamed!

It's not difficult.. Station a boat or a floating harbour at the entrance then check their paperwork!

Chinese tours always have a guide, I used to drive tours in NZ with Chinese and Koreans.

The guide does the bussines, he/ she would have collected the fees (probably more than the real fee) then paid the boat driver a back hand, maybe some staff at the park also in the divvy up.

What the tour guides were also good at was charging the tours up to 20 to 30 dollars US for free venues, If I caught them doing it they would offer me some of it.

We had to keep quiet as they would change tour companies and no jobs for us.

Eventually they got their own Busses and drivers and lots of small bus co's went under.

We had to make detours when passing NZ Tourist shops as the tour guides would direct us to back St Shop factories owned by Chinese and rip the hell out of the tour, at the same time telling them they were getting bargains.

Already here they have their own Busses and you can be assured that all of the above and more is going on.

Chinese tourists are of no benefit to LOS they are only benefiting corrupt officials and their own.

A few years ago, Chinese tour guides were caught at Surfers Paradise Queensland, charging tourists to go onto the beach for photos.

[Stargeezr]

Tourism is still a great money maker for Thailand, and it seem for these tour boats with

the Chinese one them. I am glad that they were caught and I hope they got charges

against them and are now being watched for future shady dealings.

Geezer