No action taken against tourists photographed with starfish at Koh Racha Yai

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

 

PHUKET:-- An official from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Region 6 has confirmed that no legal action will be taken against a group of tourists who were photographed holding a starfish during a snorkelling trip at Koh Racha Yai.
 

Tour guide and conservationist Mr Khanchit Klingklip, also known as ‘Seaman Freeman’, sent photos of the tourists holding the starfish to the ‘Healthy Reefs Club’ LINE group today (Aug 11) along with the message:

 

“Another tour group destroying resources. At about 11am on 11 August, today, Healthy Reefs Club has seen this offence at Lha Bay on the northeast of Koh Racha Yai, within a security zone.”

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/no-action-taken-against-tourists-photographed-with-starfish-at-koh-racha-yai-63430.php#6CXirugfCrphJuiY.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-8-11

I am not a fisheries and  marine expert but is there a chance this is one of those nasty starfish that destroy coral?

I am not a fisheries and  marine expert but is there a chance this is one of those nasty starfish that destroy coral?

I googled starfish thailand and a bar girl came up

YOU FOOLS!

 

Get after them! Don't let them escape!

11 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I am not a fisheries and  marine expert but is there a chance this is one of those nasty starfish that destroy coral?

No, it is not, the crown of thorns, the one you're referring to, can not be touched with bare hands.

 

And even if it were one of those nasty ones, they are part of nature and should be left to nature.

The main culprit here is probably the tourguide, with her swimming vest it seems very unlikely she dove down to get the fish. And it happens regularly that I tell guides off under water while they are collecting.

 

This particular starfish most likely was put back in the end.

I was  in Batangas Philippines, we took a pre wedding trip.  I flew my daughter from the US for the

Wedding, and with family in Manila about 10 of us went. My daughter found a star fish and brought it up to show me.. the tour guide asked her to return it to the water when she was finished.. no problems..on a side note the wedding never took place hence me current life in Thailand..

15 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I am not a fisheries and  marine expert but is there a chance this is one of those nasty starfish that destroy coral?

No.  That would be a crown-of-thorns starfish.

if it would have been a Russian woman they'd jailed her.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

56 minutes ago, StefanBBK said:

if it would have been a Russian woman they'd jailed her.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Only if she was an illegal tourguide.

Plus it is really doubtful this Chinese lady dove up the starfish herself.