Phuket police warns tourists to stay clear of bird-nest operations

by Bob Mott on 26 Mar 2016 A timely warning to visiting yachts coming to Phuket and visiting surrounding waters of Phang Nga , Krabi, Trang and Satun provinces.

See two recent reports in the local press concerning the protection of birds' nests in Thailand.

One of a gun-carrying Thai security guard being a little over-zealous:

Report one

A report by a local sailor threatened by a man brandishing an automatic rifle to keep away from an island east of Phuket has prompted nothing more than a warning by police for tourists to stay clear of bird-nest operations in Phang Nga Bay.

Koh Yao Police Chief Col Jirasak Siamsak confirmed to The Phuket News that he received a call from the Phuket Tourist Police, and in turn returned a call to a tourist on Saturday (Mar 19), who asked for police to investigate the armed man.

“We were anchored 100m from shore he brandished a gun. The chief of police from Koh Yao Yai said it was OK and did nothing. We are anchored now 1km from shore hopefully out of range,” the sailor told The Phuket News.

“I told the tourist, Mr Tom, that the island was a government concession area for bird nests and that the men in the area were armed. I advised him, for his own safety, to stay far off or come back to moor at Koh Yao Yai,” Col Jirasak said.

“He did not understand what I said so I phoned my friends who can speak better English to explain to him about the government concession area,” he added.

Col Jirasak said that such operations were well known among local Thai boatmen, and they knew to keep well clear of islands where bird-nest operations were underway.

“The island is prized for its bird nests and the owner has hired many men to look after their area,” Col Jirasak explained.

“The collectors have an exclusive government concession to collect nests in the area. Bird-nest collecting is a lucrative business and tightly controlled by armed men.

“The guards have permits to carry firearms to protect area from poachers and they also protect the birds from other predators, such as snakes. Their only concern is to protect the area and keep birds undisturbed by outsiders,” he said.

The guards are very protective during collecting season, from February through May, Col Jirasak added.

“And when a concession expires, police will guard the area until the next company takes over. We never have issues with people trying to go there,” he said.

Col Jirasak added that if tourists attempt to land on islands where government-concession bird-nest operations are underway, they may face trespass charges.

“There are only two islands in Phang Nga province that have bird-nest concessions, and most fishermen and boat operators know the area well and never attempted to go near them,” Col Jirasak said.

He named the two islands as Koh Li Pe, which is halfway between Koh Yao Yai and Phuket, and Koh Kalard.

However, GPS co-ordinates by “chart plotter” computer identified the island where the incident happened as Koh Ngang (08°02.822'N, 098°40.395'E).

On being informed this, Col Jirasak did not elaborate on whether or not he would investigate.

The tourist also reported that holding off-island was a barge emblazoned with “Naturalnestthailand.com” along the side.

However, when called by The Phuket News the company said that although they have government concessions for “99 islands in Thailand”, that particular island was not theirs

Read more here.

And the other referring to a gun being carried for birds' nest protection without a correct license:

Report two

Phuket Marine Police arrested a man piloting a boat with a hunting gun and ammunition on board just off Koh Yao yesterday.

Officers discovered the firearm – a 12 gauge single-barrel shotgun – and eight shotgun cartridges during a random inspection of the boat.

“Warayuth Mayer, 39, claimed that he was hired by Rung Nok Satun-Trang Ltd to protect the company's birds’ nest concession on Koh Li Pi,” said Koh Yao Police Superintendent Jirasak Seamsak. “The nests are a delicacy used to make bird’s nest soup.”

'The boat was anchored about 100 meters from Koh Li Pi,” said Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana.

“The gun is registered, but not under Mr Warayuth’s name so we are looking into whether the company has properly registered the gun to be used for protecting its concession, and whether the company has transferred possession of the gun to Mr Warayuth.'

Mr Warayuth was handed over to Koh Yao Police, who charged him for possession of an unregistered firearm.

Col Jirasak said that the case was not related to a recent incident in which a sailor was threatened by men with firearms in Phang Nga Bay when he got close to an island populated with swiftlets, whose nests are used to make bird's nest soup.

Read more here.

Certain companies have government franchises / leases on Thai islands for the sole purpose of collecting birds' nests. They all have guards as processed birds' nests are worth around 120,000 Baht a kilo (that is 3,400US$).

This report was sent to noonsite on 20 March, 2016:

Incident at small island just east of Koh Yao Yai in Phang Nga Bay:

We are anchored off Ko Rang Nok right now after being chased off anchor (in the above bay) by a man wielding an automatic rifle. He represents the company there, Naturalnestthailand.com, and although we were anchored 100m from shore he brandished a gun. The chief of police from Koh Yao Yai said it was OK and did nothing. We are anchored now 1km from shore - hopefully out of range.

Noted in the recent incident is Koh Rang Nok, which is located on the east coast of Koh Yao Yai - not far south from the cut between Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi. Coordinates are 08.02.349N 98.37.439S.

Yachts cruising in the waters of Phuket and surrounding waters of Phang Nga , Krabi, Trang and Satun provinces, should be aware that this practice is going on and do a little research before anchoring in what looks like a idyllic anchorage. It may not be so.

There are a multitude of islands to choose from, so avoiding a few is not a problem.

Certain times of year the guards are more active, such as when the birds are nesting. Harvesting of nests begins in March and coincidentally this is when the issues with the yacht arose.