Thais, Chinese arrested for removing marine life from Phuket coral reefs

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

 

PHUKET:-- The Phuket office of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has reported the arrests of two Thais and a Chinese tourist for fishing and removing marine life from a protected coral reef in two separate incidents yesterday (Aug 23).

 

Nares Chuphueng fisheries specialist together with officials from the DMCR Phuket office arrested

 

Jamrus Somboon and Passawat Ngernhorm, both from Phuket, off the southern tip of Cape Panwa, off Phuket’s east coast, at 3:40pm.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/thais-chinese-arrested-for-removing-marine-life-from-phuket-coral-reefs-63592.php#PCcGBw8rpwEOBLwo.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-8-24

Excellent

So are all coral reefs protected then since it's pretty hard to decipher from the story? It's not just marine parks?  If so, what about people that fish off the rocks around the island which have coral reefs below them?  How about the people that go out during low tides and wade through the coral looking for clams and such?

 

BTW, the photos in the story didn't show any live fish, only dead fish, hence the question about fishing.

I can appreciate that phuket is trying to save some of its marine eco system,but of coarse its just like everything else here when it comes to rules and regulations. Its Fubar

OK.

 

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Chinese tourist Huang Yongjia, 35, was charged and fined B100,000 after he was caught with two baby Parrotfish in a plastic bottle at Racha Yai.

 

53-year-old Russian tourist Olga Smirnova, but as she did not have the B100,000, she spent two nights in police lockup while awaiting trial for feeding bread to fish at Racha Yai Island.

 

 

Plus the Chinese tourist fined 100,000 for feeding fish.

 

Here comes the acid test.

 

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Jamrus Somboon and Passawat Ngernhorm, both from Phuket, Officials seized the speedboat ‘Ussama Travel’, two fishing lines, five kilograms of live fish and squid.

 

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Chinese national Dong Jinliang, 45, from Zhejiang, caught using a rock to break a giant clam off the rocks at Ao Teu beach.

 

Will they all get the 100,000 Baht fine, now looking like the standard for tourists?

 

Or will Mr Dong (Chinese) get fined 100,000 while Messrs Somboon and Ngernhorm (Thai) get ticked off and fined 500 Baht?

 

Any bets?

They seized a speed boat, that seems like they're getting serious.

 

And no, Ms Olga was not a tourist. She was working illegally as a tourguide, which is why she was bailed out by the tour company.

So what exactly is the law?  I've never heard of no fishing allowed over coral reefs ( except in marine parks) and I certainly see many people fishing over them regularly.  Are all the people that go out during low tide and walk through the coral foraging breaking the law?