Trip Report Thailand - Phinisi Live Aboard

[JonnieB]

"The shark population in Thailand seems to be very low"

And the number of shark fin soup restaurants distressing high.

 

[Centrals]

"The shark population in Thailand seems to be very low"

And the number of shark fin soup restaurants distressing high.

The number of girlie bars are even shocking high.
There are plenty of them in Kata Beach.

 

[chillyinCanada]

A month in Padang Bai and did not even go over to the Gili Islands! What is the attraction there?

I heard that the diving at the Gilis is not as good.

 

[Centrals]

I heard that the diving at the Gilis is not as good.

I would rather stay at Gili Air than Padang Bai if diving is not a priority.
"Not as good"? Ought to find it yourself.

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[passeparici]

You don't know Thailand very well...what do you think goes on at all the Thai national marine parks during their 4-5 month annual closures (for acceptable backhanders). You don't actually believe the corrupt national park officials when they put out press releases saying the closures are to allow the corals and fish populations to recover now do you

As for those earlier sharks, they were all consumed by the rich Sino-Thais in Bangkok who have been there over 100 years

Humm, there is obviously a lot of corruption in Thailand but your remark about the "corrupt" national park officials seems more like bad mouthing a country and its citizen in general. Generalization is not a good thing...

 

[Centrals]

Humm, there is obviously a lot of corruption in Thailand but your remark about the "corrupt" national park officials seems more like bad mouthing a country and its citizen in general. Generalization is not a good thing...

Far worst than "generalization"! I bet @JonnieB cannot provide any evidence to support his/her claim on the corruption of the national park official.
《Mod Edit》

 

[JonnieB]

Humm, there is obviously a lot of corruption in Thailand but your remark about the "corrupt" national park officials seems more like bad mouthing a country and its citizen in general. Generalization is not a good thing...

Did you see the report within the past year of the director of the national parks was found with millions of unaccounted bahts stuffed in his office safe...or the head of the Phi-Phi National Marine Park who was similarly caught out a few years ago will tens of millions of baht in marine park fees (you know the 600 baht per person per day people pay to dive in Ko Phi-Phi) that was never entered into government accounts but was found as personal funds in his office? I rest my case! I live in Phuket and am in the dive industry and these things are well known and have even sometimes been published in the local and Bangkok press. I wish all the money people paid to use Thailand's national parks went to maintaining and improving them but sadly no often that's not the case.

 

[passeparici]

Did you see the report within the past year of the director of the national parks was found with millions of unaccounted bahts stuffed in his office safe...or the head of the Phi-Phi National Marine Park who was similarly caught out a few years ago will tens of millions of baht in marine park fees (you know the 600 baht per person per day people pay to dive in Ko Phi-Phi) that was never entered into government accounts but was found as personal funds in his office? I rest my case! I live in Phuket and am in the dive industry and these things are well known and have even sometimes been published in the local and Bangkok press. I wish all the money people paid to use Thailand's national parks went to maintaining and improving them but sadly no often that's not the case.

Those guys cheated, they were caught and I guess they were punished. That's anecdotal That happens everywhere in the world and in Thailand for sur more than usual are corrupt and less as usual get caught. Still that doesn't mean that it is a general way of proceeding for the national parks. The fact that it is well known in the dive industry in Phuket doesn't mean much. It is also well known that falangs love to bad mouth Thailand (for sometime good reasons but also often for bad reasons). Now where goes the money of the fees for the national park, I don't know and I guess you don't really know either. Maybe there are some corruption or bad management (or both) but without really having an inside view it is just guessing and speculating...

 

[JDelage]

Thank you @Blues Runner . This is a very useful report. Lovely pictures too - what was your set up?

 

[Blues Runner]

Thank you @Blues Runner . This is a very useful report. Lovely pictures too - what was your set up?

Sony RX100 II in a Nauticam housing. Focus light, single strobe & wide angle lense.