Tourist faces up to B1m fine, 10 years' jail for sitting on coral reef
published : 14 Feb 2022 at 00:43
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Chaiyot Pupattanapong
Police have been asked to take action against a tourist who sat on an endangered coral reef.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources used a photo of Wisutr Rattanasathian posted on his Facebook account as evidence for the complaint.
Mr Wisutr was pictured sitting underwater on the coral reef at Koh Khram Noi in Sattahip district.
Officials said the man would be charged for posing a danger to an endangered species as the reef in the picture was protected under Thai law.
The tourist could be fined up to 1 million baht or imprisoned for up to 10 years or both if he were found guilty.
Mr Wisutr, 45, later met with police. He said he had never intended to damage the reef.
The photo was taken last year and posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, he added.
Learn from listening
Vocabulary
- complaint: when someone says that something is wrong or not satisfactory - การบ่น, ข้อที่ไม่พอใจ
- coral reef: an area of coral, the top of which can sometimes be seen just above the sea - แนวปะการัง
- endangered: at risk or in danger of being harmed, damaged or destroyed - เป็นอันตราย
- evidence: facts statements or objects that help to prove whether or not someone has committed a crime - หลักฐาน
- fine: to be required to pay an amount of money because you have broken the law - ปรับเป็นเงิน
- guilty: having been decided by a court of law that you committed the crime your were accused of - มีความผิด
- imprisoned: in a prison or another place from which a person cannot escape - ถูกขัง
- intended: planned; wanted to happen - ที่ได้วางแผนไว้ ที่ตั้งใจให้เกิดขึ้น
- Marine and Coastal Resources Department (noun): a government department overseeing the conservation of marine and coastal wildlife and plant life, including mangrove forests - กรมทรัพยากรทางทะเลและชายฝั่ง
