Thread: Artificial Beaches in Thailand

More bad news for Thailand's environment .

Resort's 'white beach' inflames residents' ire

Villagers in Phangnga's Takua Thung district have demanded immediate legal action against a resort developer who cut down a lush mangrove forest in the area to create an artificial beach. Sommai Idhakarn, leader of the Ban Laem Hin mangrove conservation group, said the destruction of the mangrove forest by the property developer had gone on for more than two years now.

Three rai of the mangrove forest, which local people have looked after for 20 years, had already been cleared, he said.

''A few days ago, workers started dumping huge amounts of sand onto the land despite it being a protected forest area,'' said Mr Sommai.

According to villagers, the developer of the White Sand Villa project bought a seven-rai block of land adjacent to the protected mangrove forest two years ago and planned the construction of a luxury resort and pier.

''We are not against business development in our community, but it must not destroy our traditional way of life and our precious natural resources,'' he said.

Local people's loyalties had been divided by cash poured into the community by the resort developer.

In April last year, the villagers filed a complaint with local authorities about the mangrove encroachment. The case was investigated and the culprits fined. The protected forest area was demarcated to prevent further intrusion.

The company later promised to pay more than 600,000 baht to the affected community following protests by the locals. It also donated 200,000 baht to the community's mosque.

But the encroachment by the company had continued, said Mr Sommai.

The dumping of sand onto the mangroves prompted the villagers to renew their protest on Monday when they submitted a petition to the Phangnga governor, urging him to look into the case.

The villagers also called on the Marine and Coastal Resources Department to take legal action against the wrongdoers.

''The department keeps encouraging the locals to save our coastal resources, but when we try to do that, we get less support from the department,'' said a local leader.

Nisakorn Kositratna, the department chief, said she had not yet been informed about the case, but would look into it urgently.

Ratana Chanpian, a member of a subcommittee on natural resources of coastlines, water and mining from the National Human Right Commission (NHRC), said the NHRC had received the villagers' complaint and would inspect the site next month.

Source: APINYA WIPATAYOTIN (Bangkok Post - 23 Jan 2008)

Just read that in the BKK Post. Villagers had complained. Resort owner was fined, then continues damaging a reserved area. TIT as Trink would say. The monied class fuck the place up.

The joys of tourism. The villagers won't have much of a say, if money is involved with putting a new resort up instead.

How did so many golf courses appear in the past decade or two, if not for individuals turning up at villages with suitcases of cash? Money tends to do most tricks.

I say deknackering should be reintroduced for such offences. Left knacker for first offences. If they complain about the penalty or reoffend, take the other bugger. Female offenders get the sporting equipment of offending males stiched to their box. Third offending males get their sword whipped off and attached to the next offending female offender. Easy really.

Oh, I was thinking of indoor artificial beaches....


like this....



and this

me too.

^^Those are cool. I've been in a few like this too. Makes you think you are still at the beach.