South Korean film crew condemned for spoiling attraction in Krabi
Locals in the southern province of Krabi accused a South Korean film crew of sabotaging the natural environment around the Emerald Pool in the Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary after the team installed a stage in the middle of the pool.
A female vendor, 23 year old Kattareeya Meekaew, who has a shop at the entrance of the Emerald Pool, posted pictures of the South Korean film team on Facebook yesterday, January 8.
She said…
“Speaking of conscience, this shouldn’t happen in the wildlife sanctuary. Am I right? Only Rangers’ cars can enter this area. What happens here? We need an explanation!”
Kattareeya later gave an interview to the media after the post went viral. She said that she was pleased that a foreign film crew chose the Emerald Pool as a location. However, she and other locals were worried that some of their actions would destroy nature in the area, especially after they installed a stage right in the middle of the Emerald Pool.
Locals were worried that the installation would affect the bottom of the pool and the quality of the water.
Kattareeya added that visitors bought tickets to enjoy the pool but they were banned from using it in the morning. She says that many tourists were disappointed by the decision even if the pool was reopened in the afternoon.
Kattareeya stated that the locals wanted the relevant governmental departments to clarify the situation and ensure that everything was in order.
Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary’s official Facebook page later made a statement to clarify the issue. The wildlife sanctuary reported that the film crew obtained permission to use the Emerald Pool as a filming location from January 7 to 9.
The official did not ban visitors from entering the spot that day. They explained that the sign on the front, which says, “We apologise for the inconvenience, filming is in progress,” did not mean to close the pool but aimed to inform the tourists.
The authorities of the wildlife sanctuary did not mention whether the stage installation affected the bottom of the pool and water quality but they confirmed that the team knew the rules and followed them strictly.
Thairath reported that the production team from South Korea were working on a skincare product video.
Thai netizens disagreed with the wildlife sanctuary authorities. They said the stage installation obviously destroyed the Emerald Pool’s bottom. Many netizens said the authorities should think more about the value of public property.
The Emerald Pool or Sra Mor Ra Kot is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Krabi. It offers visitors clear blue-green hot spring water with a temperature of 30 to 50 degrees Celsius. Nearby is a nature trek that is perfect for spotting rare animals. The entry fee for an adult foreigner is 200 baht and 100 baht for a child.
