scubashooter
Contributor
Just off a boat in the similans and on our last day, we found a large 1000ft tight wire mesh(so small that even anthias can't get through) covering 1/3 of Koh Bon Pinnacle. A few divers and I tried to roll up the net to minimize damage but 3 dives later we hardly dented the problem. I am now trying to organize a clean up with phuket/Khao Lak boat operators to see if we can get a boat with Nitrox (the pinnacle is deep(80ft at the top and 170ft at the bottom) and get the net off the pinnacle before it destroys the fragile eco-system. I saw at least 15 lionfish and hundreds of rainbow runners, fusiliers and triggerfish entangled and dead.
What I am asking from the scuba board community is a bit of time and a $1 worth of fax time. I'm hoping all of you can fax the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the national marine park of thailand with a complaint saying you would not visit thailand if the areas where mantas and whalesharks visit are destroyed etc. I leave you to word it yourself but it would be nice to add that you would like to see thailand preserve dive sites for the future of its dive industry. I have the manpower but not the boat and resources to pull this off and need your help. Here are the fax numbers of the various agencies:
Tourism Authority of THailand
Fax: +6622505511
email: center@tat.or.th
Mr. Sawat Dulyapatch
Director of Natural Resources Conservation Office
&
Mr.Verapan Sriboonlue
Director General
Royal Forest Department Thailand
61 Phaholyothin Road, Chatujak, Bangkok 10900* Thailand
Tel. (662)-5795964,(662)- 5614292-3 ext. 701, 765* Fax. (662)-5797048
Thanks and hope this nudges things along since the reef doesn't have much time. I suggest facisimiles because emails are not written and will probably be ignored.
What I am asking from the scuba board community is a bit of time and a $1 worth of fax time. I'm hoping all of you can fax the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the national marine park of thailand with a complaint saying you would not visit thailand if the areas where mantas and whalesharks visit are destroyed etc. I leave you to word it yourself but it would be nice to add that you would like to see thailand preserve dive sites for the future of its dive industry. I have the manpower but not the boat and resources to pull this off and need your help. Here are the fax numbers of the various agencies:
Tourism Authority of THailand
Fax: +6622505511
email: center@tat.or.th
Mr. Sawat Dulyapatch
Director of Natural Resources Conservation Office
&
Mr.Verapan Sriboonlue
Director General
Royal Forest Department Thailand
61 Phaholyothin Road, Chatujak, Bangkok 10900* Thailand
Tel. (662)-5795964,(662)- 5614292-3 ext. 701, 765* Fax. (662)-5797048
Thanks and hope this nudges things along since the reef doesn't have much time. I suggest facisimiles because emails are not written and will probably be ignored.
