Volunteer divers needed in Thailand

[Vie]

Any idea if there's an English site? Apart fr the news article, the site seems to be in Thai.

Sorry, I've searched around but cannot find an English version - the information was basically repeated in the Bangkok Post article.

 

[drbill]

Vie- I just read reports on the possible closure of Phi Phi. It sounded like the options were to close it completely for tourism, or possibly bulldoze it and rebuild it with more planning. Can you confirm or deny that report.

Sounds like some good volunteer opportunities to assist in the underwater recovery. Of course I'm also very concerned about human recovery.

Dr. Bill

 

[Wildcard]

hey Spog- don't worry about bodies- they have all been retrieved now- they just need volunteers for the debris clean up. Aparently they are trying to get government approval to try something which glues the coral back together, that sounds crazy.

mostly they just want to clean up, so that the reef can begin to recover. It hasn't been harmed taht bad, but obviously it doesn't look too nice!

As for the first details from Bangkok- I don't know about them, sorry.

I beg to differ. There are thousands to tens of thousands that are lost at sea.

 

[Vie]

Vie- I just read reports on the possible closure of Phi Phi. It sounded like the options were to close it completely for tourism, or possibly bulldoze it and rebuild it with more planning. Can you confirm or deny that report.

There have only been proposals so far - IMHO we should close Phi Phi and the Similan for at least a decade (like New Zealand did for Poor Knights Marine Reserve) as they were in pretty bad shape even before the tsunami. Of course this will never happen as the economic impact of tourists going elsewhere is far too great for the Thai government to contemplate. I can only HOPE that Phi Phi is rebuilt with better planning. There is so much corruption and conflicting interests involved in this issue. Economic interests has always trumped any conservation efforts in Thailand and this is an opportunity for us as a country to "do the right thing" for once - unfortunately, I cannot see it from happening and, before too long, the beer bars, t-shirt stalls etc. will be back in time for the next wave of visitors.

 

[Snapper_Bangkok]

Vie,

Waddee...... willing to do my bit, but got a full work schedule till Feb. Will see if i can make it down there.

 

[Vie]

Waddee...... willing to do my bit, but got a full work schedule till Feb. Will see if i can make it down there.

Hopefully see you down there; I'm not free until Feb. either.

 

[spog]

Actually, Feb is good for me too (dentistry work in Jan).

Maybe the three of us should stay in contact and go at the same time? Plus anyone else on the board who is interested.

I only have fins etc, so I hope that a diver operator there would give us a hand.

I would be very surprised if Phi Phi is not redeveloped, starting immediately. There is too much tourist money not to. The government said that it would control building and zoning, but I personally take that with a huge pinch of salt.

 

[Vie]

Maybe the three of us should stay in contact and go at the same time? Plus anyone else on the board who is interested.

Good idea - I'll call the numbers on Monday and find out more; tried calling on Friday but no one picked up.

 

[munkispank]

I beg to differ. There are thousands to tens of thousands that are lost at sea.

well of course there are- my specific statement was in repsonse to my earlier post which mentioned that the team of divers had been cleaning the reef and recovering bodies- then sprog posted that they were interested in clearing up- but not bodeis. My repsonse is based upon the information I have specifically from the clean up divers based in Phuket and Patong beach whom I am in daily contact with. I was not referring to the open ocean, but wanted to explain to divers who were prepared to volunteer to clean up the reef in these particular areas that they were unlikely to encounter bodies. I think it was importatn to mention this, so divers who were willing to give up their valuable time to help the clean up efforts were not discouraged.

full marks and thanks to all the divers and snorkellers who are volunteering to help clean up. As a note- there was a clean up in Puket Bay on Friday, but it was very poorly attended, and constisted mostly of non-divers. The efforts of divers are sorely needed- please help if you can.

 

[BlueAlf]

i'll be going to phuket end of jan to early feb... hv emailed them. hope to get a reply soon. wld really like to help.

do let me know if you guys get any further info.

Tks.