Towards the end of October 1999,
The Guardian newspaper in the UK printed an article called DiCaprio film-makers face
storm over paradise lost. Beach Film Ltd. sent us the following
in reply to that article:
A report by 20th Century Fox
- 31 October 1999
"The areas
that we reinstated [are] suffering the same rate of sand loss
as to those that we did not touch." - Fox
"Our Greensman, Ross Palmer
has been out to Phi Phi Le on his regular 2 week visit to the
island. Due to bad weather it has taken him several days to get
out to the island.
"The weather again is a
problem as there has been a large tropical depression that originated
in the Adaman Sea. This storm has intensified and is now over
the East Coast of India, which is headline news around the world.
This storm produced strong winds and a tidal storm surge that
brought the sea level up to metre above it's normal level. Ten
local people were said to have died in the tropical storm.
"The tropical storm combined
with the heavy swell and the storm surge has caused major natural
damage on Phi Phi Le. The storm coincided with naturally high
tides within the tidal cycle, in the islands, which has exacerbated
the extent of the damage.
"The entire frontal dune
system has lost up to 2 linear metres from its position 2 weeks
ago. The beachfront foredunes have near vertical cliff faces
of up to 2.5 metres high. The sea invaded up and around the Bird
nest Hut bringing with it tonnes of rubbish. The beach is covered
again with debris.
"This is a natural occurrence
that happens yearly during the monsoon. The dunes repair themselves
over the coming dry season by accumulating wind blown sand from
the beach proper. The line of the fordunes is still true, with
the areas that we reinstated suffering the same rate of sand
loss as to those that we did not touch. The system is closed
with the eroded sand lying within the bay ready to be brought
ashore again by more gentle seas.
"The backdunes are well
with all the plant material that we have planted growing healthily.
The depression area suffered no erosion from the storm winds
and the fence system is in tact
"The weather still remains
a problem with access to the island limited to days with fine
and little wind. These are rare.
"Ross and his team are going
to re-build the entranceway and a rope fence on the top of the
northern dune and reinstate the signs which were lost in the
storm. His team will also clear some of the huge rubbish that
has accumulated."
Click here
to read their earlier report and to see the pictures they sent
us earlier in the month.
At the end
of October 1999, a tabloid newspaper in the UK said: "Thai
authorities, who allowed filming provided 20th Century Fox left
everything as they found it, say the beach is now "a forlorn
scene of bamboo fences and dead plants". They say Fox damaged
the coral reef and cut down endangered trees. This is not
true. We contacted the Royal Forestry Department who are responsible
for these islands and they told us that no-one has been talking
to the foreign press. They even said that they are "satisfied"
with the work that Fox has carried out so far.
The following report was sent
to us by the Royal Forestry Department:
A report by the Thai Royal
Forestry Department -
4th November 1999
"It is normal
for the beach front to be washed away in the rainy season and
in the summer the beach will be back to normal." - Royal
Forestry Department
"A Royal Forestry Department
team have just got back from Phi Phi island. We have been waiting
for many days for the sea to calm down and finally we got there
and saw everything.
"The bamboo fences are what
'The Beach' and our people are trying to use to prevent the strong
wind damaging the sand dune. At the moment the bamboo fence on
the beach, which was protecting the plants, was washed away by
the waves. But the fences that are on the upper dune are still
there. We told the Fox people not to remove them because the
wind is still very strong and the plants may be blown away if
they were removed. All grasses and plants are in good condition
and growing well.
"We met a man taking tourists
on shore and he told us he has never seen such a big storm here
before. He said this year has been the worse year ever. He said
in the past the beach front has been washed away with the root
of plants exposed, but not as much as this year. He said from
what he sees now, after a year or two the beach front will come
back to normal. He said that it is normal for the beach front
to be washed away in the rainy season and in the summer the beach
will be back to normal. He said everything depends on the storm.
"We are satisfied with the
plants on the island. We have pictures of the plants and the
sand dune of the island. It is very sad that people have torn
down our temporary office, pathway and toilets that we would
like to have saved for tourists. The board path at the back of
the island was useful for tourists to come on shore during the
stormy season and to avoid damaging coral in front of the beach
at Maya Bay."
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