"One of the best film fan sites for a film not yet in theaters. It seems that 'leo-mania' has produced a website in Thailand that... well, it just goes them extra nine yards ya know?" Ain't It Cool News If anyone directly involved with this movie would like to add any new dates then please contact the webmaster.
1996: The Beach, by Alex Garland, is published.
May 1996: Leonardo DiCaprio met the British film-makers for the first time at the party for Trainspotting at the Cannes Film Festival. "I was a big fan of Danny Boyle before this film came about," he said. "I saw the type of film-making he does as unique." (Source LA Times 13/Feb/99)
August 1997: Danny, John and Andrew arrived in Thailand to scout out locations for two weeks. They first checked out the marine park around Samui and then headed further south to Phuket.
May 1998: The film-makers started talking to Leonardo about the leading role in the film. The first meeting was at Mercer Hotel in New York. (Source Time Magazine 1/Mar/99)
July 4th 1998: Leonardo agreed to make the film. (Source Time Magazine 1/Mar/99)
July 1998: 20th Century Fox contacted Santa Pestanji, owner and CEO of Santa International Film Productions in Thailand, to request the company's assistance in coordinating the filming. At the same time, the studio formally asked permission from the Thai authorities to shoot in four provinces -- Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi and Bangkok. The approval was granted by the Prime Minister's Office later this month. (Source The Nation 15/Oct/98)
July 28th 1998: It was announced today that Leonardo DiCaprio's next starring role will be in the feature film "The Beach". (Source: www.leonardodicaprio.com)
September 1998: A giant audition was held in Paris for the French characters in the movie. (Source: Student Weekly 8/Mar/98)
October 1998: The film-makers start working full time in Thailand.
October 17th 1998: An editorial in The Nation proclaims that filming on Phi Phi would be "an act of sacrilege". (Source: The Nation 17/Oct/98)
October 21st 1998: Agriculture Minister, Pongpol Adireksarn, acting on the recommendation of the Royal Forestry Department, signed an approval for the filming on Phi Phi's Maya Beach. (Source: The Nation 3/Nov/98)
October 26th 1998: Final permission to film on Phi Phi Le island was given by the Royal Forestry Department. (Source: The Nation 27/Oct/98)
November 5th 1998: Protesters, wearing masks of Leonardo DiCaprio, demonstrated
outside the Silom offices of 20th Century Fox. They flung imitation dollar notes into the air. Picture: Environmental activist Manit Srivanichaboon wears a mask to resemble Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, complete with vampire fangs. (Source: Bangkok Post 6/Nov/98)
November 6th 1998: The production crew began clearing the beach. They uprooted grass and weeds to widen the beach and began levelling the sand and shingle with the help of a backhoe they had brought from the mainland. (Source: The Nation 9/Nov/98)
November 9th 1998: The National Film Board on Monday confirmed its decision to approve filming of "The Beach" by 20th Century Fox unless a complaint is filed. (Source: Bangkok Post 11/Nov/98)
November 10th 1998: Conservationists marched to Krabi provincial hall to complain about the filming of the movie "The Beach" on Phi Phi Island. Representatives of 18 conservation groups from Krabi, Phangnga, Phuket, Surat Thani and Trang brought along pictures of Maya Beach, where filming will take place, showing it being dug up prior to the planting of around 100 coconut trees. (Source: Bangkok Post 11/Nov/98)
November 11th 1998: Agriculture Minister Pongpol Adireksarn dismissed claims made by Krabi environmental groups that filming of the movie The Beach will destroy Maya Bay on Phi Phi island. He said the statements were "shameful" and "unreasonable". Mr Pongpol said the groups are embarrassing themselves by making a mountain out of a molehill and added that they had ignored pleas to clean up the garbage-infested beach for years. The minister also lashed out at the groups' method of protest, by dragging Titanic star Leonardo DiCaprio into the matter, although the teen heartthrob had nothing to do with the controversy at all. (Source: Bangkok Post 12/Nov/98)
November 15th 1998: The Provincial Administrative Organisation's chairman Somsak Kittithornkul and environment panel chairman Apinan Paongern led an inspection tour Phi Phi island's Maya Bay. After the inspection, committee members unanimously resolved that preparations for the filming, which is underway, should be stopped to allow the PAO and the public to see whether the filming would pose any danger to the national park. Apinan said the PAO would ask concerned parties, including the prime minister, the Agriculture Ministry, the Royal Forestry Department, the Fisheries Department and the Krabi governor, to order the suspension. (Source: The Nation 16/Nov/98)
November 16th 1998: Plodprasop Suraswadi, the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) director general, visited the island. (Source: The Nation 21/Nov/98)
November 17th 1998: The Forestry Department halted pre-production work on The Beach saying a committee must first look at the pros and cons of filming on Phi Phi island before saying whether it should go ahead. Twentieth Century Fox has been banned from making further alterations to Maya Bay except to a wooden bridge which must be finished to avoid accidents, said Forestry chief Plodprasop Suraswadi. (Source: Bangkok Post 18/Nov/98)
November 18th 1998: Members of the Krabi joint public and private sectors consultative committee agreed unanimously to support the production of the movie in Krabi, saying the panel was confident that the location would be well restored and would return to normal condition. (Source: Bangkok Post 21/Nov/98)
November 19th 1998: Krabi Governor Sira Chaovanavirat submitted a letter to the interior permanent secretary to reaffirm the province's decision to allow the shooting of The Beach in Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Lay. (Source: Bangkok Post 21/Nov/98)
November 20th 1998: Tilda Swinton is set to make her first big splash in a studio film when she plays the second lead alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in ``The Beach.'' Swinton, the leader of a group he encounters on a beach, seduces the visitor and leads him on his journey. (Source: Variety 20/Nov/98)
November 23rd 1998: TWO British actresses have shouldered aside the competition to be chosen to make the leap from low-budget films to star in The Beach alongside the teen idol of Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio. Victoria Smurfit, who plays Orla in the television drama series Ballykissangel, and Tilda Swinton, who starred in Sally Potter's film Orlando, have been selected for roles in the adaptation of Alex Garland's novel.(Source: Daily Telegraph UK 23/Nov/98)
November 1999: Leonardo DiCaprio was ordered to go on a crash diet and lose 20lb in seven weeks. (Source: London Evening Standard 11/Nov/98)
December 2nd 1998: About 30 Krabi conservationists, tourism operators and villagers on Phi Phi Don Island began camping on Maya beach to protect the site which, they feel, will be damaged by the shooting of the Hollywood film. Boonkasem Saekowe from the Krabi Artists' Alliance for Environment said that the film's opponents do not believe the Royal Forest Department (RFD) can protect Maya beach, so they decided to save it themselves. (Source: The Nation 3/Dec/98)
December 4th 1998: Twentieth Century Fox received permission to resume shooting "The Beach" at Maya Beach on Phi Phi Island following a decision by the Forestry Department-appointed committee. After two weeks of study, the committee comprising marine biologists and representatives of environmentalist groups said that environmental damage would occur but it could be controlled to a minimum and filming may proceed. (Source: Bangkok Post 5/Dec/98)
December 10th 1998: Environmentalists and local villagers monitoring the production team accused it of destroying a coral reef when shipping tools to Phi Phi Island. (Source: The Nation 15/Dec/98)
December 12th 1998: Dr Panom Eamprayoon, dean of Thammasat University's Faculty of Law said that The Royal Forest Department's (RFD) approval for a Hollywood film company to film its movie on Maya Beach was unlawful. (Source: The Nation 13/Dec/98)
December 14th 1998: A monitoring committee met on Phi Phi to consider the destruction of the coral reef and the RFD's request for a panel to approve the environmental report. The committee concluded that there was no proof that the reef had been damaged by the shipment and said further investigation was needed. (Source: The Nation 15/Dec/98)
December 17th 1998: A fortnight-long sit-in to protect Phi Phi Island's Maya Beach from environmental damage ended in an overwhelming display of force from supporters of a Hollywood film project. (Source: The Nation 18/Dec/98)
Conservationists and local protest groups agreed to set up a group to take legal action against those responsible for the alleged "unlawful entry and destruction" of Maya Bay on Phi Phi Island for the filming of The Beach. Forestry Department chief Plodprasop Suraswadi was accused of violating the National Park Act law by allowing 20th Century Fox studio to alter the bay's environment to fit the movie script. Fox and Thai producer Santa International Film Production Co will also be charged for breaching the contract for damaging reefs in front of the bay while transporting filming equipment. The group lodged a complaint to the Council of State yesterday to suspend the filming operation until a dispute on the reefs is settled. (Source: Bangkok Post 18/Dec/98)
December 18th 1998: The first set of coconut trees arrived in Maya Beach. The shipment process started from 8.45 am and ended at 9.45 am. The big boat anchored a certain distance away from the beach and then was pulled in by staff members of the film company. Then another boat carried a truck to lift the trees which were carried to the planting site by workers. (Source: The Nation 19/Dec/99)
December 21st 1998: A group of environmentalists and NGOs submitted a letter demanding the Counter Corruption Commission (CCC) investigate the approval given by the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) director general to allow a Hollywood company to make changes to a national park for a film. The letter said RFD director general Plodprasop Suraswadi allegedly violated the 1961 National Park Act by allowing 20th Century Fox to damage the ecosystem at Maya Beach, which is part of Had Nopparatthara-Phi Phi Island National Park, Krabi. (Source: The Nation 22/Dec/99)
January 4th 1999: The Lawyers Association of Thailand said it would sue 20th Century Fox and Thai officials to try to halt filming of the movie that opponents say will destroy a idyllic Thai beach. (Source: The Nation 5/Jan/99)
The Royal Forestry Department (RFD) chief threatened lawsuits in turn against local officials in Krabi who have vowed to sue him for allegedly abusing his authority in approving the filming of ''The Beach''. Plodprasop Suraswadi said he did not mind if Krabi's Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) and the Tambon Administrative Organisation (TAO) of Ao Nang went ahead with their plans to file suits against him. The RFD director-general claimed that he had lawfully approved 20th Century Fox's application to make the film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, on Phi Phi Island's Maya Beach. (Source: The Nation 6/Jan/99)
January 7th 1999: Banner headlines in today's Thai Rath proclaimed: "Handsome Leonardo", Jack from 'Titanic' has arrived." DiCaprio had arrived quietly in Thailand earlier on in the week and flew straight down to Phuket to stay at Cape Panwa Hotel. (Source: Thai Rath 7/Jan/99)
January 8th 1999: On the eve of National Children's Day, Leonardo DiCapr
io paid a visit to Phuket Special School on the resort island of Phuket in southern Thailand. Leo met the students, gave them food and handed out presents to them.
January 11th 1999: Lawsuits were filed by the Krabi Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO) and the Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) of Ao Nang, which cover Phi Phi Island. The hearing is scheduled for March 26. Judge Chedchan Saisaotavaree called for an emergency hearing tomorrow on a request that the filming be banned until the process of looking into the permission granted by RFD chief Plodprasop Suraswadi had been completed. Agriculture Minister Pongpon Adireksarn has been named as the first defendant, with the RFD as the second, Prodprasop the third, Santa International the fourth and 20th Century Fox the fifth. (Source: The Nation 12/Jan/99)
January 12th 1999: The Civil Court turned down a request to halt filming of The Beach saying it would be unfair to the Forestry Department chief if the ruling was made without his explanation. (Source: Bangkok Post 13/Jan/99)
A petition signed by 37 law professors was sent to the Minister of Agriculture requesting that he revoked the permission to film the movie inside Nopparat Thara - Phi Phi Islands National Park. (Source: press release)
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai stepped into the environmental row, saying the project will do more good than harm. ''Filming here will create more jobs and enhance our image which is what every country wants,'' he said. ''Thailand should offer opportunities to foreign film-makers to come here, but at the same time of course our duty is to protect our nature and environment. Every province has a duty to protect its environment.'' (Source: The Nation 13/Jan/99)
The production team of The Beach invited nine monks to the studio in Phuket as part of the opening ceremony for the start of shooting. This is a Thai tradition to make merit in order to receive good luck for the movie. (Source: Thai tabloids)
January 13th 1999: Leonardo DiCaprio made it known that he wants to meet Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to discuss his plan to help promote tourism in Thailand, according to Deputy Education Minister Arkom Engchuan. (Source: Bangkok Post 13/Jan/99)
The Civil Court rejected a second petition seeking a ban on its filming on Phi Phi Island. The new petition was submitted by the Law Society of Thailand on behalf of 19 environment and community groups of Krabi province after the first petition was rejected on yesterday. The court rejected the opponents' request for an immediate ban on 20th Century Fox's filming on Maya Beach on the southern island on the grounds that it would need to question Royal Forestry Department director general Plodprasob Suraswadee, who approved the use of the beach as the film's location, in a full hearing to begin on March 26. (Source: The Nation 14/Jan/99)
January 15th 1999: The Civil Court accepted a petition filed by Krabi residents opposing landscaping of Maya Bay to film The Beach, after they softened their demand from an immediate filming halt to a deposit of a 100 million baht bond for damage. (Source: Bangkok Post 16/Jan/99)
Shooting began on the movie at Maya Beach, Phi Phi Lae. Several big ferries laid anchors at Loh Samah Bay as the production moved onto the island with equipment, supplies and more than 200 actors, extras and production crew. (Source: Bangkok Post 16/Jan/99)
January 16th 1999: Environmentalists staged a rally on board two vessels moored in front of the hotel where Leonardo DiCaprio is staying, to voice their opposition to the shooting of the movie "The Beach". The protest was part of a day-long activity the group organised to oppose the production of the film at Maya Beach, Phi Phi Lae, on the grounds that the modification of the landscape is illegal and hurts its natural environment. (Source: Bangkok Post 17/Jan/99)
January 18th 1999: Leonardo DiCaprio issued a statement on defending the changes made at the Phi Phi Island national park for the filming. ''Preservation of the environment has always been my utmost concern, and I would never be part of a project that does anything to harm nature,'' DiCaprio said in a statement released. (Source: The Nation 19/Jan/99)
January 28th 1999: A group calling itself the Khao Yai Protection Forum announced an anti-Fox movement after learning that the crew will film at Haew Suwat Waterfall in the national park in Nakhon Ratchasima. The group plans to lodge protest letters with the provincial governor, the provincial forestry office, and national park authorities in an effort to block Fox's planned intrusion into the park. Another group of non-government organisations and civic groups has also said it would submit a letter to the United States embassy to condemn the film production for allegedly bribing the authorities to gain access to Maya Bay. (Source: Bangkok Post 28/Jan/99)
January 29th 1999: Twenty civic and environmental groups, gathered at the US Embassy to protest the meaninglessness of the Thai law and hand a petition over to the US Justice Department with evidence that the film company had bribed the Thai government for a permit to relandscape Maya Beach. (Source: The Nation 28/Jan/99)
January 30th 1999: The last day of filming on Maya Beach.
January 31st 1999: Today was the first day that tourists were allowed to visit Maya Beach since it was closed to the public for two weeks to accommodate the film production team. Park officials distributed questionnaires to tourists and residents asking for their opinions on the appearance of Maya Beach. (Source: The Nation 1/Feb/99)
February 1st 1999: The compound of the Forestry Department was the scene of a public slanging match when opponents of The Beach tried to submit a letter demanding the resignation of forestry chief Plodprasop Suraswadi, who accused them of being uncivilised and of treating him "like an animal". Mr Plodprasop accepted the letter bearing the names of 34 environmental and grass-roots groups and spoke to two of their representatives for 40 minutes before leading them to the departmental compound. (Source: Bangkok Post 2/Feb/99)
February 3rd 1999: Following two weeks of filming on Phi Phi National Park, the producers of ''The Beach'' began the process of restoring the area to its original state as prescribed in the contract signed with the Royal Forestry Department. (Source: The Nation 4/Feb/99)
February 5th 1999: Leonardo DiCaprio issued a strong defence against the use of a Thai paradise island in his new movie, ruling out environmentalists' claims the project had destroyed an idyllic beach. The star insisted producers would leave Maya beach in southern Phi Phi island national park in a better state than before filming and said the film, The Beach, would boost tourism. "I would never, by any means, intentionally go forth with a project that I believed would damage the environment of any country, or the image of Thailand," Mr DiCaprio said in a lengthy statement issued in Bangkok. (Source: Bangkok Post 6/Feb/99)
A second statement, released by Reef Check, an independent non-profit group, praised Fox for "exemplary" efforts to avoid damaging corals in the area and said the beach was in its best shape in years. (Source: Bangkok Post 6/Feb/99)
February 6th 1999: During Saturday evening Leonardo DiCaprio went with ten other people to watch a Muay Thai boxing match at Lumphini Stadium in Bangkok. Leonardo told reporters that he has had a long interest in Thai kick boxing and was glad that he was now able to go and watch a match for the first time. He said afterwards that he believed that Muay Thai is the best form of self defence. [more information] (Source: Thai tabloids)
February 10th 1999: Last day of shooting at Khao Yai National Park. The production moves to Phuket. (Source: The Nation 12/Feb/99)
March 26th 1999: The Civil Court postponed the first hearing in ''The Beach'' case until June 1 and 2, because the defence lawyers were unable to attend. (Source: The Nation 27/Mar/99)
April 16th 1999: Whilst filming near Sarasin Bridge in northern Phuket, strong winds and a huge swell led to equipment loss and damage. The cast and crew had to abandon the boat and were quickly picked up by support boats and taken to shore. (Source: press release)
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