[Apologies if this kind of thing is out of place on the list. Please
let me know if this is so. Russell]
If you want to, sign this petition and pass it on. It usually
works better to copy the petition, rather than forward it.
Every 50th signator should forward to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
(see below).
On a recent trip to Thailand Bryony Schwan discovered
that 20th Century Fox is making a movie called
"The Beach" on Phi Phi Leh Island, a treasured National
Park in Thailand. Portions of the film, which stars Leonardo
Di Caprio (Titanic-fame), will be shot on Maya Beach on the
island of Phi Phi Leh. This is one of the most beautiful,
unspoiled islands in the Pacific and it is being destroyed to
meet Hollywood's perception of paradise. The film company
has already bulldozed large portions of the beach and removed
much of the natural vegetation (Giant Milkweed, Sea Pandanus,
Spider Lily and other beach grass) in order to widen the beach
to accommodate a football scene. Fox plans to replace the
native vegetation with 100 non-native coconut palms to create
their "paradise."
Local Thai activists feared that removing the natural
vegetation would create serious erosion, and they were right.
The beach has already been eroded and now locals are very
worried about how much of the beach and bay will remain after
the monsoons.
Phi Phi Leh Island is supposedly protected as a National Park
and is key to the local tourist economy. Thai activists report
that Thailand'sRoyal Forestry Department violated their own
regulations and were bought off by 20th Century Fox, who paid
the government Bhat 4 million.
Local activists are enraged that the government would cave in
to Fox's demands and that their concerns were ignored.
Activists are not opposed to filming on Maya Bay, but want the
island to be filmed as-is. A lawsuit has been filed, but an
injunction to stop further destruction of this land was denied.
The local Thai people have tried everything, from the courts
to blockading the beach, to protect their island. They need
our help. They ask the American public to take action and
boycott the film. The Thai people point out that Americans
would never allow Thai film makers to bulldoze Yellowstone or
other US National Parks. Hollywood must get the message
that exploiting the environment and powerless people is
unethical. Please help the people of Thailand by:
1) Passing this message on to everyone you know.
2) Signing the petition below.
3) Write a letter to producer Andrew McDonald. Tell him you
will boycott the film unless 20th Century Fox stops destroying
Maya Bay.
The address is: Andrew MacDonald, Producer c/o Carol Sewell
10201 W. Pico Blvd. Building 89, Room 224 Los Angeles, CA
90035
Check out web site of Maya Bay at:
http://www.wildrockies.org/wve
Please sign the petition and forward to someone else. If your
name is #50, #100, #150 and so on, please send the petition back to:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
PETITION: TO: Andrew McDonald, Producer "The Beach"
We, the undersigned, will not see your film "The Beach" and
will encourage our friends and family to boycott the film unless
you cease and desist from destroying Maya Bay by removing the
native vegetation and planting coconut palms. Maya Bay is already
a paradise and does NOT need Hollywood's unnecessary alterations.
1) Bryony Schwan, Missoula, Montana USA
2) Laura Scherubel, Missoula, MT, USA
3) Claire Emory, Ovando, MT USA
4) Carol Hett, Sheridan, WY USA
5) Sue Nackoney, West Yellowstone, MT USA
6) Anna R. Mosqueda, Sacramento, CA, USA
7) Barbara Warner, Lebanon, KY 40033
8) Nancy Ellen Smith, Woodstock, GA USA
9) Kathy Richmond, Vice President,Friends of the West,Clayton, ID
10) Scott Edgerton, Missoula, Montana, USA
11) Chuck Pezeshki, Director,Clearwater Biodiversity Project, Troy, ID 83871
12) Ward Klemer, Seeley Lake, MT, USA
13) Aaron Coffin, Missoula, MT USA
14) Bruce Herbert, Seattle, WA USA
15) Eric Stewart, Eastpointe, MI USA
16) Lambert Rochfort, Bellingham, WA, USA
17) Anne Munier, Prince George, BC, Canada
18) Alexa Pitoulis, Prince George, BC, Canada
19) Seth Oldham, Prince George, BC, CAnada
20) Becky L'hirondelle, Prince George, BC, Canada
21) Keya White, Prince George, BC, Canada
22) Nicole Gagnon, Prince George, BC
23) Mirco Muntener, Prince George, BC, Canada
24) Keely Hunter, Prince George, B.C., Canada
25) Heather Lamb, Ottawa ON, Canada
26) Eric Lamb, Vancouver BC, Canada
27) Gaik Beng Khoo, Vancouver BC, Canada
28) Gaik Cheng Khoo, Vancouver BC, Canada
29)Marian Gracais, Vancouver BC, Canada
30)Brenna Bhandar, Toronto, ON, Canada
31) Janelle Dwyer, Toronto, ON, Canada
32) Dorothy Christian, Penticton, BC, Canada
33) Marjorie Beaucage, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
34) Peter Sandmark, Montreal, QC, Canada
35) Christine Stewart, Vancouver, BC, Canada
36) Axel Mulder, Vancouver, BC, Canada
37) Damian Castaldi, Sydney, Australia
38) Andre Castaldi, Sydney Australia
39) Nathan McDonald, Sydney Australia
40) Vanessa Langley, Sydney Australia
41) Braedy Neal, Sydney Australia
42) Chris Neal, Sydney Australia
43) Virginia Gordon, Sydney, Australia
44) Michael Frankel, Sydney Australia
45) Greg Duffy, Sydney, Australia
46) Lil Cullen, Sydney, Australia
47) Ana Temporini, Sydney, Australia
48) Ruth Beran, Sydney, Australia
49) Sarah Willetts, Sydney, Australia
50) Vivienne Jones, Sydney, Australia
51) David Steele, Sydney, Australia
52) Paul Barnes, Sydney, Australia
53) Claire Wallace, Sydney, Australia
54) Russell Edwards, Melbourne, Australia
