PHUKET: An underwater punch-up was narrowly avoided yesterday when two groups of divers thought they'd encountered poachers on a coral-stealing outing to a pristine dive site off Phuket.
There were sighs of relief all round today when it turned out that the ''poachers'' were conservationists taking samples from the undersea wall at Koh Doc Mai, a striking limestone karst wall dive on the way to Shark Point from Phuket.
Problems arose because the official speedboat was out of action so the conservationists had to use a private speedboat to reach the wall dive site.
One group of concerned divers saw the samples being taken and confronted the conservationists underwater.
The situation threatened to turn nasty because the conservationists were not prepared to go to the surface to explain that what they were doing was legal.
That led to a call to Region 8 police volunteers coordinator Wal Brown, who is based in Patong.
He organised a group of Marine Police to be at Chalong when the private boat returned to shore but the boat arrived early and by the time the enforcers arrived, the ''poachers'' had gone.
Today the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources emerged as the ''poachers'' and all involved heaved a sigh of relief.
''The good thing was that divers raised the alarm when they saw something suspicious going on,'' said Mr Brown. ''If that happened more often, there would be a few less problems for law enforcers on Phuket,'' he said.
There were sighs of relief all round today when it turned out that the ''poachers'' were conservationists taking samples from the undersea wall at Koh Doc Mai, a striking limestone karst wall dive on the way to Shark Point from Phuket.
Problems arose because the official speedboat was out of action so the conservationists had to use a private speedboat to reach the wall dive site.
One group of concerned divers saw the samples being taken and confronted the conservationists underwater.
The situation threatened to turn nasty because the conservationists were not prepared to go to the surface to explain that what they were doing was legal.
That led to a call to Region 8 police volunteers coordinator Wal Brown, who is based in Patong.
He organised a group of Marine Police to be at Chalong when the private boat returned to shore but the boat arrived early and by the time the enforcers arrived, the ''poachers'' had gone.
Today the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources emerged as the ''poachers'' and all involved heaved a sigh of relief.
''The good thing was that divers raised the alarm when they saw something suspicious going on,'' said Mr Brown. ''If that happened more often, there would be a few less problems for law enforcers on Phuket,'' he said.
Law enforcers? Yes, Phuket has many, but on Phuket is almost no sign or practice of law enforcement. Look at south side of Naiharn beach. Almost 1 year ago the Rawai OborTor filed with Police dept. that is was illigal, a 100% violation of environment laws, but what happend? police until now did nothing, and that place is stil expanding. I gues 1 more year and than the 'tea money' '''authorities''' are saying that it is to late to do something! Reform Thailands corruption? just bla bla. Enforcement is not to enforce. Take some time, but we will learn.
Posted by Koert on April 29, 2014 17:03
Editor Comment:
I assume you are talking about the restaurant on the headland.