News Forum - Thailand orders 20th Century Fox to pay 10 million baht to restore Maya Bay

[Thaiger]

Today, Thailand’s Supreme Court ruled that Hollywood movie company 20th Century Fox – now renamed 20th Century Studios – is required to pay 10 million baht in environmental damages caused by the movie “The Beach” (2000) starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Filming for “The Beach” began at Maya Bay at the Phi Phi Islands in Krabi province, southern Thailand, in 1998. The bay became a world-famous tourist destination following the success of the film, but “The Beach” hasn’t been the same since. A lawsuit was filed against the movie company for offences under Thailand’s National Park Act (1961) and National Environmental Quality […]

The story Thailand orders 20th Century Fox to pay 10 million baht to restore Maya Bay as seen on Thaiger News.

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[palooka]

This has to be the "joke of the year".

Thailand has made billions of baht from the flow on of that movie through tourism.

To now make a claim against the producers is a serious slap in the face.

Say good bye to future movies on location in Thailand. Cost - a few more billion baht lost to gain a quick 10 million. 

Govt must be in serious financial difficulty to start this crap.

Mindless idiots.

 

 

[Malc-Thai]

They were happy to get money for this movie being filmed there.. since, it has attracted thousands of tourists wanting to visit it.. now who would ever want to produce a film in Thailand if this precedence is set !   

[Janneman]

'Lawsuits were also filed against Thailand’s Forestry Department for giving the film production company the green light to “renovate” Maya Bay to make the movie picture perfect. The renovations had devastating and lasting effects on Phi Phi Island’s natural environment.'

So the movie company asked permission to renovate (in fact, destroy) the beach. This permission was given by the Forestry Department, apparantly an official government organization.

So who's to blame? The farang movie company of course!

 

 

[Cabra]

$280k USD is small enough that the studio just might pay. Hope they appeal. Terrible precedent and short sighted considering the possibly negative implications for the broader Thai film industry, but not surprised coming from an incompetent government responsible for decades of natural resources mismanagement. 

[Boddown]

Just ask Leo to pay it as he is an environmentalist and can easily afford it from his movie fee

Edited September 13, 2022 by Boddown
Wrong letter

[EdwardV]

1 hour ago, Cabra said:

$280k USD is small enough that the studio just might pay.

No doubt, the studio's attorney fees alone would dwarf that amount. Shame but smart move. Says a lot when you can get a nation's supreme court to rule a movie company has liability over an area which has been under the control of the government for the last 22 years. 

[Robert2020]

I can't think of a better way to create distrust with the international film industry... nice job Thai government. One of your government agencies gave them the authorization several years ago and now another government agency is suing them, even though Fox Studios followed all the regulations set forth at that time. Goes to show the government doesn't know what they're doing and anything agreed upon with them can change later... even 20 years later. What a joke

[Janneman]

Just imagine those clowns doing tricks like this with the new 10 year visa..... Yes, you have a visa. But well, we changed our minds, they all have been revoked as of next month. And your 1m investment? Umm, thank you for that.

A government and legal system like this will surely attract a lot of wealthy foreigners.

[Thommo]

environmental damages in Thailand,  I am reading this right?

[Mazz11]

1 hour ago, Janneman said:

Just imagine those clowns doing tricks like this with the new 10 year visa..... Yes, you have a visa. But well, we changed our minds, they all have been revoked as of next month. And your 1m investment? Umm, thank you for that.

A government and legal system like this will surely attract a lot of wealthy foreigners.

I was thinking the exact thing,

this government has a reputation for being untrustworthy and flip flopping on decisions. So why would someone invest a large sum of money and hope the rules don't change. 

[Ramanathan.P]

Where is my "pop corn"....

[Sparks]

I read elsewhere the fine of 10M baht was from a negotiated settlement agreed to earlier, which included the studio. The court seems to have just reaffirmed the settlement and removed some plaintiffs. 

[Mandy]

I was running out of   so I'll just say, great comments,  I agree with with you all!

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

15 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Thailand orders

So now the military regime is giving orders all around the world

[MichaelT]

The Supreme Court is under the cannabis influence which was legalized recently but no one is sure who can legally use it.

[palooka]

10 hours ago, Sparks said:

just reaffirmed the settlement and removed some plaintiffs. 

No guesses that it was the Thai contingent removed.

[ChrisS]

Seems to me a Thai government agency gave permission for everything that was done by the movie makers so demanding restoration after the fact would seem to make the Thai government look like very untrustworthy people to do business with. This is the sort of thing that could very seriously adversely affect the investments that the Thai government are hoping to get with their new 'rich person visas' 

[Metoo]

Perfect, 

They have reaffirmed and hopefully cemented, the hopeless level of  incompetence, they operate on.

Nothing short of uneducated, corrupt, lowlife mafia.

Edited September 14, 2022 by Metoo

[BJoe]

Insanity !  That movie was responsible for 10 billion baht of free publicity for Thai tourism.   The REAL culprits in the devastation of this island were the greedy Thai businesses who flooded the area with too many tourist.  Tourist who destroyed the eco system. Tourist who were allowed to trash the island . But the biggest factor in the destruction….the hundreds of motor craft disrupting water life, including the coral.