Starfish selfies: Facebook post, then apologies & fine

Don't pull starfish out of the sea for your own pleasure & selfies, critical comments on Facebook post leads to apology & fine for tour guide.

TOURISM & THE ENVIRONMENT

Starfish selfies: Facebook post leads to tourist apology & fine

6/05/2017
Methee Muangkaew

A crewman from a southern tour boat has been fined 500 baht for taking starfish and sea cucumbers from the sea so that tourists on board could take photographs (selfies) together with the starfish.

Aekkawat Hassakhon was summoned to Chao Mai National Park in Kantang district in Trang on Friday after national park officials learned of the incident.

WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?

An investigation found that the crewman had dived into the Andaman Sea to catch four starfish and four sea cucumbers for a group of tourists from Ratchaburi.

Then the tourists took photographs (selfies) with the starfish and sea cucumbers before releasing them back into the water.

FINED 500 BAHT & WARNED NOT TO DO IT AGAIN

A tourist on a Chokwimol Tour boat holds a starfish in a photograph that she later posted on her Facebook page.

The crewman, Mr Aekkawat, who works on a boat owned by the Chokwimol Tour company, violated park rules by putting marine life in danger and the park fined him 500 baht, with a warning not to repeat the offence.

This is according to park chief Manote Wongsureerat.

DISCOVERED STARFISH SELFY THREAT TO MARINE LIFE VIA FACEBOOK

The Nakhon Si Thammarat office of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department ordered the park to take action after a tourist from the group took pictures with starfish on the boat and later posted them on Facebook on Thursday.

The tourist later removed the photos after receiving criticism that marine life had been put in danger and should not be used for pleasure like this.

She later apologised to her ignorance.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism-and-transport/1244783/starfish-selfies-lead-to-fine

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