Fish-feeding Russian tourist jailed in Phuket

[gdgbb]

4 minutes ago, johng said:

Well according to the report above she already spent 2 nights in jail surely thats already enough punishment ?

It wasn't punishment, that was because she had to meet bail requirements.  If she had done that 2 days ago she would not have spent any time in jail.

[gdgbb]

6 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

She was two nights in a holding cell.

Still silly enough.

 

She's not now.

[evadgib]

If she'd been run over by a speedboat the driver would not have spent 2 days in pokey or choughed up THB 100k bail!

 

"Just when you thought is was safe to go back into the water..."

 

[MarkusAUST]

Amazing Thailand!

How can it be illegal to feed fish in the sea?

Given the abuses the rivers and lakes in this country receive from pollutants and garbage, I really don't get it.

Is this some insane move from the Government to ensure all tourists go to the surrounding countries?

How is tourism going to rise with such lunacy everywhere, everyday?

Poor woman must be absolutely shellshocked.

[Brer Fox]

22 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

No, that's not ok, everything that you referred to are offences also that are prosecuted.

If you are silly enough to believe that then that is your choice. But regardless, the garbage and the filth and pollution remains on the sea floor, even if they are prosecuted, which they are not. Are you seriously suggesting all the people who throw garbage into klongs and waterways which eventually ends up on the sea floor are prosecuted? Are you suggesting the councils which pollute the beaches and the seas with sewage outpourings from decrepit and poorly maintained treatment plants are prosecuted? Your entertainment value is sometimes on a par with the PM.

[gdgbb]

Just now, Brer Fox said:

If you are silly enough to believe that then that is your choice. But regardless, the garbage and the filth and pollution remains on the sea floor, even if they are prosecuted, which they are not. Are you seriously suggesting all the people who throw garbage into klongs and waterways which eventually ends up on the sea floor are prosecuted? Are you suggesting the councils which pollute the beaches and the seas with sewage outpourings from decrepit and poorly maintained treatment plants are prosecuted? Your entertainment value is sometimes on a par with the PM.

Whether I believe it or not, or whether you believe it or not, is irrelevant, prosecutions happen,  so "silly" doesn't come into it.  Not every offender is indicted, obviously, but neither does every fish-feeding offender get prosecuted, do they?

 

Sorry to disappoint you but I don't post for your entertainment.

[daveAustin]

They had to follow it up or it would mean loss of face. 

Meanwhile, I hear tourism in Vietnam is booming.

[DNPBC0]

41 minutes ago, MarkusAUST said:

Amazing Thailand!

How can it be illegal to feed fish in the sea?

Given the abuses the rivers and lakes in this country receive from pollutants and garbage, I really don't get it.

Is this some insane move from the Government to ensure all tourists go to the surrounding countries?

How is tourism going to rise with such lunacy everywhere, everyday?

Poor woman must be absolutely shellshocked.

I did a 'quick and dirty' Google search..  As I now understand it, the issue seems to be  all about the preservation of coral reefs.  Algae grows on coral, and, if it is not controlled, the coral dies.  Fish normally eat the algae and keep it from taking over the reef.  If fish are given an alternative and more attractive food (eg bread), they eat less of the algae, and there is less chance that the algal growth will be safely controlled . We need a marine biologist to confirm all this . However, even if it is correct, I do wonder how far tourists know about the prohibition on feeding fish in regulated areas and how far they understand the rationale for the prohibition.  In the circumstances, I entirely agree that the present  response of the authorities to infringements of the ban is well over the top.

[MarkusAUST]

1 minute ago, DNPBC0 said:

I did a 'quick and dirty' Google search..  As I now understand it, the issue seems to be  all about the preservation of coral reefs.  Algae grows on coral, and, if it is not controlled, the coral dies.  Fish normally eat the algae and keep it from taking over the reef.  If fish are given an alternative and more attractive food (eg bread), they eat less of the algae, and there is less chance that the algal growth will be safely controlled . We need a marine biologist to confirm all this . However, even if it is correct, I do wonder how far tourists know about the prohibition on feeding fish in regulated areas and how far they understand the rationale for the prohibition.  In the circumstances, I entirely agree that the present  response of the authorities to infringements of the ban is well over the top.

To the tune of 100,000 Baht bail?

That's just looney tunes numbers for the supposed "offence."

I have lived in Thailand since I was two, and have never heard of any law about this.

How is a tourist supposed to know? Especially one who probably couldn't read signs in Thai or English.

[stevenl]

23 minutes ago, MarkusAUST said:

To the tune of 100,000 Baht bail?

That's just looney tunes numbers for the supposed "offence."

I have lived in Thailand since I was two, and have never heard of any law about this.

How is a tourist supposed to know? Especially one who probably couldn't read signs in Thai or English.

The Russian tourist could have read the signs in Russian.

 

And the tour operator could/should point out it is not allowed to feed the fish. But did they do this?

[madmitch]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

The Russian tourist could have read the signs in Russian.

 

And the tour operator could/should point out it is not allowed to feed the fish. But did they do this?

They probably supplied the bread!

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, gdgbb said:

Whether I believe it or not, or whether you believe it or not, is irrelevant, prosecutions happen,  so "silly" doesn't come into it.  Not every offender is indicted, obviously, but neither does every fish-feeding offender get prosecuted, do they?

 

 

Prosecutions happen for polluting do they? Can you give us some examples? Here in Thailand please? I would love to see these.

Maybe if the regular prosecutions you believe are happening are revealed, it might encourage others to clean up their act. And their waterways.

 

On an alternatvie note, I still don't get why such a minor act of feeding some fish a little lunch requires 100,000 Baht bail.

The story in the paper gives no explanation. I mean it is a tourist, who really can't be expected to know.

Someone with more than a handful of functioning brain cells might be expected to tell the lady, Please stop doing that, it is not allowed, and tell her why.

To arrest her and throw her in the cells seems utter madness.

I could understand it if it were a resident who was blatantly disregarding the rules whilst KNOWING it was illegal.

[evadgib]

58 minutes ago, DNPBC0 said:

I did a 'quick and dirty' Google search..  As I now understand it, the issue seems to be  all about the preservation of coral reefs.  Algae grows on coral, and, if it is not controlled, the coral dies.  Fish normally eat the algae and keep it from taking over the reef.  If fish are given an alternative and more attractive food (eg bread), they eat less of the algae, and there is less chance that the algal growth will be safely controlled . We need a marine biologist to confirm all this . However, even if it is correct, I do wonder how far tourists know about the prohibition on feeding fish in regulated areas and how far they understand the rationale for the prohibition.  In the circumstances, I entirely agree that the present  response of the authorities to infringements of the ban is well over the top.

On more than one occasion I have been under the water when cyanide and demolition charges were used by local fishermen.

 

It did wonders for the reef

[stevenl]

They probably supplied the bread!

Yes, for breakfast and lunch.

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[NCC1701A]

Lets hope Russia Today picks up on this story.

 

You can use Twitter to put this story out to the whole world.

 

#thailand

#russia

#cnn

#bbc

 

 

[ChrisY1]

I'de report this to Vladimir, but I don't think he'd care too much!

[DavisH]

Once it hits the Russian news,, that's just another nail in the tourist coffin...idiots !

[stevenl]

Once it hits the Russian news,, that's just another nail in the tourist coffin...idiots !

One can only hope.

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[johng]

Once it hits the Russian news,, that's just another nail in the tourist coffin...idiots !

The coffin must be solid steel by now with all the accumulated nails so its totally bullet proof.

[madmitch]

21 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Once it hits the Russian news,, that's just another nail in the tourist coffin...idiots !

TASS has the story but I don't think the Russian Government mouthpiece is compulsory reading these days.

[sweatalot]

4 hours ago, gdgbb said:

She hasn't received any penalty yet, she has to appear in court first for that to happen.

 

You are right.

but prohibiting her from leaving "lawful" Thailand (this way making her lose a lot of money), making her a hard time, put her in prison for two nights... What is this?

may be not a penalty but a punishmenjt or better harassing and torturing. She deservse compensation money more than those incredibly wrong 100.000 Baht.

 

pettifogger.

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by sweatalot

[sekmet]

It's a revenue stream

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[Canceraid]

please help to dessiminate this story and other horrible stories about phuket,samui,koh tao etc to your local media back home and share this on social media with ur friends and relatives  back home please.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

1. Where did the bread come from?
2. Are any Thai vendors on the island selling bread?
3. How did she know there were fish at the island that you could feed bread to?
4. What duty of care is owed by a Thai tour operator with regard to advising customers about the obscure laws regarding fish feeding?
5. Is there any signage regarding the fish feeding laws on display?
6. If there are signs, are they translated into the Russian's language?
7. Why didn't the Thais standing around the Russian lady advise her of the illegality of feeding fish?
8. Did Thai man standing next to the Russian get attacked on social media for exposing his two young children to such a heinous crime?
9. Is the humbug  (Dascyllus melanurus) even remotely endangered, even here in Thailand?
10. Where is the effluent from the toilets on the tour boats that visit this island discharged?
11. What causes more damage each year at Koh Racha, anchor damage from Thai boats, or bread fed to fish by tourists?
12. Over the last 20 years, what percentage of the profits from Thai charters to Koh Racha have been used to maintain the marine environment?
13. Over the last 20 years, who caught and sold all of the quality table fish species such as coral trout and groper at Koh Racha and sold them.  Thais or Tourists?
14. Over the last 20 years, who caught and sold all of the lobster at Koh Racha and sold them.  Thais or Tourists?
15. What percentage of the seashells for sale in Phuket originally came from the waters around Koh Racha and were they harvested by Thais or Tourists?
16. Every night how many long tail boats cast drift nets to harvest ocean prawns and mantis shrimp in the waters around Koh Racha?

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by Bulldozer Dawn

[balo]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

However, she could not raise the required amount of 100,000 baht, so she had to stay in the holding cell at the police station for two nights,”

 

So she didnt pay 100k then , just 2 nights in a cell and she's free to go back to Russia and tell the story .

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by balo

[johng]

No she was jailed for 2 nights while (presumably) her friends or family raised the bailout money.

[balo]

1 hour ago, sweatalot said:

She deservse compensation money more than those incredibly wrong 100.000 Baht.

 

She never paid 100k , she could not affford it . 

[balo]

2 minutes ago, johng said:

No she was jailed for 2 nights while (presumably) her friends or family raised the bailout money.

Not what I think , she was released after 2 days according to the article because she had no money . She had no money like most Russian tourists with a low income , they travel here on cheap planes from Eastern Russia. 

Edited February 22, 2017 by balo

[darksidedog]

2 minutes ago, balo said:

Not what I think , she was released after 2 days according to the article because she had no money . She had no money like most Russian tourists with a low income , they travel here on cheap planes from Eastern Russia. 

She was released because a friend paid the bail.

She can't leave until the case is finished. Passport is held by the court.

While I am about it, not all Russians are on a low budget. Nor are all Indians, Iranians etc.

Did you know you can't feed fish? Do you have 100,000 cash in your pocket when you are at the beach?

I feel sorry for the poor woman. She thought she was doing something good, then a nightmare arrives.

Totally avoidable situation. Just some stupid official reading the riot act, when a simple, "Please don't do that." would have solved the situation.

I donm't see a poor/wealthy foreigner as the issue. I see a "Jobsworth" as the problem.

[gdgbb]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Prosecutions happen for polluting do they? Can you give us some examples? Here in Thailand please? I would love to see these.

Maybe if the regular prosecutions you believe are happening are revealed, it might encourage others to clean up their act. And their waterways.

Yes, there have been instances of prosecutions for polluting, do your own searches.   I didn't say that there were regular prosecutions, you said that, but then the fish-feeding offence isn't something that is regularly prosecuted either.