PHUKET: Allegations of corruption at the Similan islands National Park continue to swirl after last month's evacuation of tourists proved the park has an excessive number of visitors.
It's common knowledge in the diving and snorkelling industry that trippers to the Similans exceed the maximum number of 250 a day.
Captain Thammawat Malaisukkarin, of the Naval Civil Affairs Directorate, has confirmed that 455 passengers and crew were rescued by the patrol ship Pattani from the Similans island of Koh Tachai in a wild storm on April 17.
Although numbers of tourists to the Phuket region continue to increase, the income from the Similans has only risen from 19.7 million baht in 2009 to 20.7 million baht in 2012.
The limit of 250 visitors a day to the Similans is imposed to protect Thailand's environmental marine gem from mass tourism.
Yet the natural reefs and beaches are now alleged to have been turned into a fiddle where rangers and operators pocket the profit from extra boats.
The claims came into focus again in 2012 - and the mass rescue last month proves that more visitors are going to the Similans, and that their park fees (500 baht for expat adults, 300 baht for children, 100 baht for Thais) are not entering government coffers.
Corruption claims were anticipated to be a feature of a summit of Natural Resources and Environment chiefs from key southern provinces at the Metropole Hotel in Phuket City today.
The media was excluded from the meeting - Thailand is slipping back in terms of press freedoms, an international report found this week.
But it's understood that a claim would be raised that rangers were charging 20 baht for admission to ''free'' public toilets in one popular national park and pocketing the cash.
The toilet fiddle would be small change compared to the profits to be made by a Similans scam. Investigators would not have to go far to check it out - they could do what the Navy did and count the people in the park at any one time.
Time is running out, though, for that kind of action. The Similans park is due to shut down on May 15 for its annual environmental respite until November.
There are other claims, though, that boats visit the Similans illegally out of season, with the blessing of rangers.
It's common knowledge in the diving and snorkelling industry that trippers to the Similans exceed the maximum number of 250 a day.
Captain Thammawat Malaisukkarin, of the Naval Civil Affairs Directorate, has confirmed that 455 passengers and crew were rescued by the patrol ship Pattani from the Similans island of Koh Tachai in a wild storm on April 17.
Although numbers of tourists to the Phuket region continue to increase, the income from the Similans has only risen from 19.7 million baht in 2009 to 20.7 million baht in 2012.
The limit of 250 visitors a day to the Similans is imposed to protect Thailand's environmental marine gem from mass tourism.
Yet the natural reefs and beaches are now alleged to have been turned into a fiddle where rangers and operators pocket the profit from extra boats.
The claims came into focus again in 2012 - and the mass rescue last month proves that more visitors are going to the Similans, and that their park fees (500 baht for expat adults, 300 baht for children, 100 baht for Thais) are not entering government coffers.
Corruption claims were anticipated to be a feature of a summit of Natural Resources and Environment chiefs from key southern provinces at the Metropole Hotel in Phuket City today.
The media was excluded from the meeting - Thailand is slipping back in terms of press freedoms, an international report found this week.
But it's understood that a claim would be raised that rangers were charging 20 baht for admission to ''free'' public toilets in one popular national park and pocketing the cash.
The toilet fiddle would be small change compared to the profits to be made by a Similans scam. Investigators would not have to go far to check it out - they could do what the Navy did and count the people in the park at any one time.
Time is running out, though, for that kind of action. The Similans park is due to shut down on May 15 for its annual environmental respite until November.
There are other claims, though, that boats visit the Similans illegally out of season, with the blessing of rangers.
Another shining example of corruption (allegedly) running wild for short term gains at the expense of things/places of far far greater importance. The more I witness or read these stories the more I firmly believe that it's far too late now for the honest officials and government departments to clean up this mountain of corruption infesting so much of Thailand. I'm fully aware that most countries in Asia have similar issues, but let's just focus on where we are for now, and at what stage do we see actual reform, actual improvement, actual impact of positive change that can halt this downward plunge into the abyss? If only common sense would prevail with Thai's that without such spectacular natural attractions tourists will not return, that continuing to blead the unfortunate visitors day in day out will see them, yes you guessed it, not return! I am repeatedly hearing these views from new visitors and repeat visitors for too long now, and unfortunately, the reasons are many and negative over their Phuket experiences recently
Posted by Anonymous on May 2, 2013 20:33