(Fwd): Hollywood destroying NP in Thailand
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Fri, 5 Mar 1999 19:01:27 -0500
Norm,
I thought this info would be good to get out to the public.
Dave Harvey
> ----------
> From: Tony Clarke[SMTP:clarke@arrakis.es]
> Sent: Friday, March 05, 1999 02:47 AM
> To: birding-aus
> Cc: Trevor Quested
> Subject: birding-aus RV: Hollywood destroying NP in Thailand
> Tony Clarke,
> CANARIAN NATURE TOURS,
> C/ Rep=FAblica Dominicana, N=BA 61,
> Barrio de F=E1tima,
> 38500 G=FCimar,
> Tenerife,
> Canary Islands,
> SPAIN.
> Tel: +34 922 524291
> Fax:
> E-Mail: clarke@arrakis.es
> > Asunto: FW: Hollywood destroying NP in Thailand
> > Fecha: jueves 4 de marzo de 1999 22:49
> > >In a message dated 3/2/99 10:10:36 GMT Standard Time, =
GottoK@bp.com
> > writes:
> > > > Subject: Hollywood Destroying National Park In Thailand
> > > >
> > > > Boycott 20th Century Fox movie "THE BEACH"
> > > >
> > > > Dear Friends,
> > > >
> > > > On a recent trip to Thailand I discovered that 20th Century =
Fox is
> > making
> > > > a movie called "The Beach" on Phi Phi Leh Island, a treasured
> > National
> > > > Park
> > > > in Thailand. Portions of the film, which stars Leonardo Di =
Caprio
> > > > (Titanic-fame), will be shot on Maya Beach on the island of =
Phi Phi
> > Leh.
> > > > This is one of the most beautiful, unspoiled islands in the =
Pacific
> > and
> > > > it
> > > > is being destroyed to meet Hollywood's perception of paradise. =
The
> > film
> > > > company has already bulldozed large portions of the beach and
> > removed
> > > > much
> > > > of the natural vegetation (Giant Milkweed, Sea Pandanus, =
Spider
> > Lily and
> > > > other beach grass) in order to widen the beach to accommodate =
a
> > football
> > > > scene. Fox plans to replace the native vegetation with 100
> > non-native
> > > > coconut palms to create their
> > > > "paradise."
> > > >
> > > > Local Thai activists feared that removing the natural =
vegetation
> > would
> > > > create serious erosion, and they were right. The beach has =
already
> > been
> > > > eroded and now locals are very worried about how much of the =
beach
> > and
> > > > bay
> > > > will remain after the monsoons.
> > > >
> > > > Phi Phi Leh Island is supposedly protected as a National Park =
and
> > is key
> > > > to
> > > > the local tourist economy. Thai activists report that =
Thailand's
> > Royal
> > > > Forestry Department violated their own regulations and were =
bought
> > off by
> > > > 20th Century Fox, who paid the government Bhat 4 million. =
Local
> > > > activists
> > > > are enraged that the government would cave in to Fox's demands =
and
> > that
> > > > their concerns were ignored. Activists are not opposed to =
filming
> > on
> > > > Maya
> > > > Bay, but want the island to be filmed as-is. A lawsuit has =
been
> > filed,
> > > > but
> > > > an injunction to stop further destruction of the island was =
denied.
> > > >
> > > > The local Thai people have tried everything, from the courts =
to
> > > > blockading
> > > > the beach, to protect their island. They need our help. They =
ask
> > the
> > > > American public to take action and boycott the film. The Thai
> > people
> > > > point
> > > > out that Americans would never allow Thai film makers to =
bulldoze
> > > > Yellowstone or other US National Parks. Hollywood must get =
the
> > message
> > > > that
> > > > exploiting the environment and powerless people is unethical =
for
> > mere
> > > > entertainment.
> > > >
> > > > Please help the people of Thailand by:
> > > >
> > > > 1) Passing this message on to everyone you know.
> > > > 2) Signing the petition below.
> > > > 3) Write a letter to producer Andrew McDonald. Tell him you =
will
> > boycott
> > > > the film unless 20th Century Fox stops destroying Maya Bay.
> > > >
> > > > The address is:
> > > > Andrew MacDonald, Producer
> > > > c/o Carol Sewell
> > > > 10201 W. Pico Blvd. Building 89, Room 224
> > > > Los Angeles, CA 90035
> > > >
> > > > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> > > >
> > > > Check out web site of Maya Bay at: =
http:www.wildrockies.org/wve/
> > > >
> > > > <A HREF=3D"http://www.wildrockies.org/wve/beach.htm"> beach
in
> > Thailand</A>
> > > >
> > > > Please sign the petition and forward to someone else. If your
name
> > is
> > > >
> > > > PETITION:
> > > >
> > > > TO: Andrew McDonald, Producer "The Beach"
> > > > We, the undersigned, will not see your film "The Beach" and will
> > > > encourage
> > > > our friends and family to boycott the film unless you cease and
> > desist
> > > > from
> > > > destroying Maya Bay by removing the native vegetation and planting
> > > > coconut
> > > > palms. Maya Bay is already a paradise and does NOT need Hollywood's
> > > > unnecessary alterations.
> > > >
> > > > 1) Bryony Schwan, Missoula, Montana USA
> > > > 2) Laura Scherubel, Missoula, MT, USA
> > > > 3) Claire Emory, Ovando, MT USA
> > > > 4) Carol Hett, Sheridan, WY USA
> > > > 5) Sue Nackoney, West Yellowstone, MT USA
> > > > 6) Anna R. Mosqueda, Sacramento, CA, USA
> > > > 7) Barbara Warner, Lebanon, KY 40033
> > > > 8) Nancy Ellen Smith, Woodstock, GA USA
> > > > 9) Kathy Richmond, Vice President,Friends of the West,Clayton, ID
> > > > 10) Scott Edgerton, Missoula, Montana, USA
> > > > 11) Chuck Pezeshki, Director,Clearwater Biodiversity Project, Troy,
> > ID
> > > > 83871
> > > > 12) Ward Klemer, Seeley Lake, MT, USA
> > > > 13) Aaron Coffin, Missoula, MT USA
> > > > 14) Bruce Herbert, Seattle, WA USA
> > > > 15) Merran Smith, Sierra Club of BC, BC, Canada
> > > > 16) Gail Hochachka, Sierra Club of BC, Victoria, BC, Canada. 17)
> > > > Amber Paul, Nanaimo BC, Canada 18) Martina Lee, Vancouver, BC,
> > > > Canada 19) Frances Liang, Vancouver, BC, Canada 20) Philip
> > > > Henderson, Vancouver, BC, Canada 21) Paul EHRLICH, Paris, France
> > > > 22) Andreas Mohr, Heidelberg, Germany 23) Katherine Totten,
> > > > Heidelberg, Germany 24) Michael Mayer, Mannheim, Germany 25)
> > > > Henrike Groetecke, Walldorf, Germany 26) Ingrid Mautes, Walldorf,
> > > > Germany 27) Donata Ducati, Walldorf, Germany 28) Heiko Philippi,
> > > > Wellington, New Zealand 29) Stefania Chrzanowski, Whangaparaoa,
> > > > New Zealand 30) Andrew Stump, Ruapehu "Home of Tongariro World
> > > > Heritage Park",
> > New
> > > > Zealand.
> > > > 31) Penelope Fink-Jensen, Auckland, New Zealand_
> > > > 32) Claire Fergusson, Auckland, New Zealand
> > > > 33) Fergie Norris, Hassi Messaoud, Algeria
> > > > 34) Anna Nesling, Azerbaijan
> > > > 35) Giles Mackey, Scotland
> > >>36) Jo Mew, UK
> > 37) Alan Hesse, Asociacion Armonia, Bolivia
> > 38) Erika Cuellar, Asociacion Armonia, Bolivia
> > 39) Lois Jammes, Asociacion Armonia, Bolivia
> > 40) Sebastian Herzog, Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Schortens, Germany 41)
> > Caroli Hamel, Cochabamba, Bolivia 42) Helga Herzog, Schortens, Germany
> > 43) Chris Balchin, Towcester, U.K. 44) Tony Clarke, Canary Islands,
> > Spain.
> >