Hunt on for woman who brought starfish to the surface

[webfact]

Hunt on for woman who brought starfish to the surface

 

Picture: Sanook

 

KRABI: -- National Park officials and water police in Krabi are on the hunt for a woman who posted pictures on Facebook with starfish brought up from a reef onto a long tail boat.

 

The woman even had a picture taken with one of the sea creatures draped over her head.

 

Online condemnation was rife as people blamed her for damaging the environment and the marine ecosystem.

 

Now the officials at the Hat Nopparat Tara- Koh Phi Phi national park and police want a word.

 

Sanook reported that the woman, who has now taken down the pictures, was still thought to be holidaying in the Ao Nang area.

 

The woman's nationality was not mentioned though the report intimated that she was a "tom".

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-05-05

[ezzra]

 

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

National Park officials and water police in Krabi are on the hunt

on the hunt....

What an arch criminal she's, what dose she think to her self to bring a starfish

to the surface? put her in jail together with those other kingpin of crimes, the mushroom

pickers and throw away the keys, that's will teach them a lesson....

[colinneil]

OK what she did was a no-no, but not the crime of the century.

Meanwhile cop killers, kiddie fiddlers are walking around scot free.

Come on Thailand get your priorities in order.

[Rob13]

Catch her now before she starts picking mushrooms.

[Thechook]

I bet they hunt her down before they get the monk and red bull 

[worgeordie]

She left for Singapore in a private jet,where she abandoned it,

whereabouts unknown,hope they catch this vile creature.

regards worgeordie

[terminatorchiangmai]

100.000 baht reduced to a 100 baht fine.

Thai pricing 

Edited May 5, 2017 by terminatorchiangmai

[Bill Miller]

Not "a" starfish... you can count five in the photo, as well as a sea cucumber.
Thais do now take conservation somewhat seriously... aside from throwing trash around. Some are pretty bad about that still... as are many US folk at home.

Sent from my SM-J200GU using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[hansnl]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

OK what she did was a no-no, but not the crime of the century.

Meanwhile cop killers, kiddie fiddlers are walking around scot free.

Come on Thailand get your priorities in order.

Those priorities, Sir, are perfectly in order, Sir.

[soalbundy]

I like her panoramic sun glasses,goes well with her hat

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Clearly she got the life vest from some sort of commercial boat operator. They should be searching for them. All diving tourists need to be educated before they get in the water. Always the way here, chase the dumb uneducated end user and the real culprits get away.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

The report did not know the persons nationality, but that she was a Tom.

Well that explains everything then. Where are Toms from?

[fakename]

Hunt her down, and show no mercy! No one knows her name, country of origin, weight, height, but we know that she is a Tom!

[richard_smith237]

What this woman did was clearly wrong...  

.... Now, why didn't the boat operator also know this an advise her to return the Starfish to the water ?

 

IMO: The boat operator is also complicit in ensuring that those under his charge behaved correctly.

Of course this would be too good to be true....

 

-----

 

As others have mentioned this is hardly the crime of the century, but it is this level of ignorance which damages the environment we live in. ALL involved need to be educated. This starts with the first line of defense, the boat operators who in turn educate the tourists. 

 

 

 

 

[12DrinkMore]

32 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

What this woman did was clearly wrong...  

.... Now, why didn't the boat operator also know this an advise her to return the Starfish to the water ?

 

Based on the woman sitting on the boat in a flotation aid, I suspect she is not a good swimmer and probably did not swim to the bottom to pick up the starfish and sea cucumber. In fact, the majority Asian females would not even go near sea cucumbers.

 

It would not surprise me if the boat driver had dived down and brought up the specimens, doing his "macho man" act for the girls. I have seen it happen before.

 

And, no, you can't tell the boat drivers to stop. They can take it personally and using the excuse, "southern Thai males are quick to retaliate" can get angry and aggressive in an instant.

 

Seen it happen many times.

[Gold Star]

Last year, there were so many longtail boatsmen that were fishing for their lunch, and zipping around, I could hardly snorkel amongst them and along the shoreline without fear of getting chopped, tangled, or hooked. The garbage being dumped into the sea and drifting around was impossible to ignore.

 

Driving around the southern coastline towards Satun last month, the Muslim fishing villages were the worst.  How some people can choose to live life like savages is appalling even to seasoned travellers.  They clean fish, wash clothes, and defecate amongst their pile of discarded filth, a cesspool home on stilts, right along the sea.  No thought is ever given to tidying up, as they wade through it all in their bare feet. They must constantly step over, step around, and step through their own refuse instead of moving or disposing it away from their shelters. The smell is unforgettable. 

 

Now today, some tourist removes a few carnivorous pest starfish from the reef and social media is on fire with condemnation with the park police hot on the chase like a Red Bull fugitive.  If only attitudes and true practice here in their daily lives would change and become as important to the Thais here as their need for saving face and giving the fake appearance that they care about the environment, things might get better. 

[webfact]

Tourist who clicked selfies with starfish apologises
By The Nation

 

 

 

A Thai tourist has apologised for taking selfies with a starfish that she had picked up from the sea in the national park area at Trang, saying she did not know her action was wrong.

 

Earlier on Thursday, the Thai tourist’s selfies with a starfish went viral on social media. She was widely condemned, as there is a ban on picking marine animals up from the sea, especially in the national park area. Netizens called on the authorities to take action against the tourist.

 

Later, the tourist, who used the Facebook name ohaee nutcha, apologised for her action and said she was not aware of the rule.

 

She also explained on her Facebook post that the pictures were taken in Trang and her guide had told her she could take a starfish from the sea to click selfies.

 

Wittaya Khunsan, Krabi Marine and Coastal Resources Preservation Centre chief, stated that investigation had showed the incident had taken place in Trang’s Had Chao Mai National Park and the officers had already contacted the guide.

 

Wittaya said catching marine animals in the national park area is illegal. He urged every tourist to comply with the rule and preserve the marine resources for others as well.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30314293

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-05

[Sig]

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

What this woman did was clearly wrong...  

.... Now, why didn't the boat operator also know this an advise her to return the Starfish to the water ?

 

IMO: The boat operator is also complicit in ensuring that those under his charge behaved correctly.

Of course this would be too good to be true....

 

-----

 

As others have mentioned this is hardly the crime of the century, but it is this level of ignorance which damages the environment we live in. ALL involved need to be educated. This starts with the first line of defense, the boat operators who in turn educate the tourists. 

 

 

 

 

Just curious... what exactly is it that she did "was clearly wrong"?
Having a starfish on your head is some kind of a moral problem?
Maybe somebody else put it on her head and took a pic to make fun of her while she was trying to disassociate from what was going on. Who knows..... Not anyone on TVF, but of course, you'd never know that by reading here....

Edit: I see now that she admitted to wrongdoing. Before this, that wasn't clear at all.
And it still isn't even clear from the pic that it is even a selfie. Her arms don't appear to be holding a camera. But apparently she did, according to the latest report and her admission.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Sig
update from new post

[petedk]

Not long ago a Russian lady was arrested and fined for feeding fish in the sea.

 

What happened to this lady who actually picked starfish? (Oh she was Thai... no need to answer)

[jak2002003]

Those poor starfish look so frightened and stressed out!!! 

 

Seriously though, what is wrong with society these days, they have their priorities all mixed up... Now it's such a crime that causes such OUTRAGE if someone puts a mindless invertebrate in their head? 

 

It's not like she is chopping them into bits or putting them in a sandwich or on the BBQ.  I bet they went back into the sea after the shot anyway... it's not going to kill them or traumatize them for the rest of their starfish lives is it!

 

I remember collecting starfish, crabs and shrimps form rock pools as a kid in the UK.  I hope they aren't going to make that illegal there too.

 

There should be OUTRAGE about all the pollution, plastic rubbish, over fishing and reef destruction by boats and human activities, not a girl picking up a common starfish.

 

[madusa]

On 2017/5/4 at 5:50 PM, terminatorchiangmai said:

100.000 baht reduced to a 100 baht fine.

Thai pricing 

She paid 100,000 baht, but ticket shows 100 baht. (with her consent of course after intimidation of long jail terms, my conjecture) 4 people in the office, so 25,000 each again my conjecture. I am not accusing anyone here, I live in my imagination most of the time because real life is boring. I had to go to the "Forgetting Chamber" each week to forget the harsh reality of life, even if it is for 2 hours and I need to pay to get in the "Forgetting Chamber" to meet Tom Cruise, Harvey Keitel, Johnny Depp.. who so kindly help me to forget the harsh reality of life.

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by madusa
to correct a letter

[ujayujay]

17 hours ago, Sig said:

Just curious... what exactly is it that she did "was clearly wrong"?
Having a starfish on your head is some kind of a moral problem?
Maybe somebody else put it on her head and took a pic to make fun of her while she was trying to disassociate from what was going on. Who knows..... Not anyone on TVF, but of course, you'd never know that by reading here....

Edit: I see now that she admitted to wrongdoing. Before this, that wasn't clear at all.
And it still isn't even clear from the pic that it is even a selfie. Her arms don't appear to be holding a camera. But apparently she did, according to the latest report and her admission.

Whats your Problem: Its a no go in a National park area. Some People just understand the hard Way beqause too stupid.

[sandemara]

I've seen tour guides on boats in different parts of  Thailand bring up crown of thorn  starfish from   the sea floor and enthuse about their prolific growth on local reefs  as part of  Thailand's national treasures before returning them to the water. I don't think Thais receive adequate  information or education  about ecology and the need to  respect - value - your  natural environment. The same species, with the same rampant growth, has virtually destroyed Australia's Great Barrier Reef in a decade or two.

I liked the coy reference to a "cat" in the  news report.  Only certain women wear hats in public nowadays?  She just might like that starfish fishy aroma.

[12DrinkMore]

15 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Those poor starfish look so frightened and stressed out!!! 

 

Seriously though, what is wrong with society these days, they have their priorities all mixed up... Now it's such a crime that causes such OUTRAGE if someone puts a mindless invertebrate in their head? 

 

It's not like she is chopping them into bits or putting them in a sandwich or on the BBQ.  I bet they went back into the sea after the shot anyway... it's not going to kill them or traumatize them for the rest of their starfish lives is it!

 

I remember collecting starfish, crabs and shrimps form rock pools as a kid in the UK.  I hope they aren't going to make that illegal there too.

 

There should be OUTRAGE about all the pollution, plastic rubbish, over fishing and reef destruction by boats and human activities, not a girl picking up a common starfish.

 

 

The good old straw man.

 

It is all part of the same problem.

 

There has to be a total ban and not an "its OK for just the one photo".

 

Take bits of coral or shells on the beach.

 

There is not a lot of harm in taking the odd shell from a beach or a bit of broken coral. But then someone realised that if tourists liked broken and damaged corals, then they would surely like to pay for nice undamaged specimens collected directly from the reef. Or the starfish are taken back to the hotel in a bag.

 

The rubbish issue is exactly the same, 

 

A total ban, and not, as the ancient UK anti-littering campaign pointed out, "oh, my little bit doesn't do any harm".

 

It never stops at a little bit.

[FitnessHealthTravel]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

He urged every tourist to comply with the rule and preserve the marine resources for others as well.

No mention of the operators who just let them do what they like. It's ALWAYS about education. Educate the Operators and hold them responsible.  Things will change then...watch...

[mrwebb8825]

Wonder if they know that starfish, like house lizards are regenerative? She could have cut off 4 of the 5 appendages, dropped it back in the sea and it would become a whole starfish again.

[ncc1701d]

Sea star. Not starfish.

[Sig]

On 5/6/2017 at 11:56 AM, ujayujay said:

Whats your Problem: Its a no go in a National park area. Some People just understand the hard Way beqause too stupid.

I'm guessing that English isn't your native language, so I won't say much back to you except to let you know that it is very apparent that you completely misunderstood my comment. You might not want to address people so strongly with attacking language when you don't even understand what you read. I guess you thought you understood.... I'd recommend reading carefully.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

On 5/6/2017 at 4:29 AM, madusa said:

She paid 100,000 baht, but ticket shows 100 baht. (with her consent of course after intimidation of long jail terms, my conjecture) 4 people in the office, so 25,000 each again my conjecture. I am not accusing anyone here, I live in my imagination most of the time because real life is boring. I had to go to the "Forgetting Chamber" each week to forget the harsh reality of life, even if it is for 2 hours and I need to pay to get in the "Forgetting Chamber" to meet Tom Cruise, Harvey Keitel, Johnny Depp.. who so kindly help me to forget the harsh reality of life.

 

You are absolutely right of course.100B, in reality equals 100.000 baht.Nice little earner for the cops. In this case, the less the merrier. Your remarks about the "forgetting Chamber" drew my attention.Originally, hundreds of years ago, they were just deep holes in the ground. They were used for attitude adjustment for recalcitrant soldiers, and brides who didnt want to marry their kidnappers. In those days they were called an Obliat (cant be sure of the spelling) a place of forgetting,a bit different than your chamber, as prisoners were kept in these ones for years, or until they changed their minds.

Tell me, in your forgetting chamber, is Johnny Depp, dressed as Jack Sparrow?. I could do with a chat with someone like Captain Jack.

[madusa]

21 hours ago, Khon Kaen Dave said:

You are absolutely right of course.100B, in reality equals 100.000 baht.Nice little earner for the cops. In this case, the less the merrier. Your remarks about the "forgetting Chamber" drew my attention.Originally, hundreds of years ago, they were just deep holes in the ground. They were used for attitude adjustment for recalcitrant soldiers, and brides who didnt want to marry their kidnappers. In those days they were called an Obliat (cant be sure of the spelling) a place of forgetting,a bit different than your chamber, as prisoners were kept in these ones for years, or until they changed their minds.

Tell me, in your forgetting chamber, is Johnny Depp, dressed as Jack Sparrow?. I could do with a chat with someone like Captain Jack.

Hi there ,You seem to have quite a wide knowledge of unusual things. Let's for one moment forget about movie stars, movie stars can be quite nasty people in real life, they spend their whole life pretending to be someone else to make money.

I would like to run a special kind of homestay in Thailand. In my advertising I emphasis that we are a cultural sort homestay, because I make ancient musical instrument(wood mainly) and if my guests are interested they will enjoy staying. I made American Indian flute, Old ancient Greek violin like instrument Lyra Pontian. I will fill the house with antique musical instruments. Other things like making Japanese straw sandals are also available for guests to watch.

With your wide knowledge do you think it would work? It will not be an commercial establishhment but it has to make enough to keep it going at a good standard, that is place properly run, clean and with very little plastic things around (disgusting things plastic). Guests will be informed because we are more on cultural so some comfort be not forthcoming like other establishment, so you don't sleep on bed sheet with floral designs just plain bed sheet. And the good thing is  the owner will cook dinner for you and have dinner together. So it will only have about 3 or 4 rooms can't cook for large number of people if you want good foods. Large production of food is rubbish.