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 The BBC's Charlotte Bevan reportsA major tourist attraction and a revenue earner for local people  real 28k  |
DiCaprio film trial begins
Making waves: Vegetation was uprooted to create the perfect beach |
By Charlotte Bevan in Bangkok
The trial has begun in Thailand of the makers of the Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Beach, on charges of damaging a national park.
Thai businessmen and local officials are prosecuting Twentieth Century Fox and Thai government ministries, which gave the studio permission to landscape a beach on Maya Bay, on Phi Phi Island, to create a football scene.
Local people say alterations made for the $40m movie have caused dramatic erosion to the beach. They are demanding $3m to restore it to its natural beauty.
Heart-throb Leordando DiCaprio stars in the $40m movie |
They say that by landscaping the beach at Maya bay, where Twentieth Century Fox filmed for approximately two weeks last year, the movie makers have destroyed a pristine area of national park.
They say it is also a major tourist attraction and a revenue earner for local people.
Erosion scars
Fox was given permission from Thailand's government ministries to alter the beach, uproot vegetation, level it and plant palm trees, which they subsequently removed after filming.
Local people say the changes caused dramatic erosion |
But environmental activists in Thailand point to recent pictures in a local newspaper as proof of the damage done.
Those photographs show Maya Bay bearing deep, two-metre scars of erosion at the end of this year's monsoon season.
Long process
Even though it is normal for a certain amount of erosion to take place during the rainy season, they argue this year it is worse than ever.
The plaintiffs also prosecuting the agriculture and forestry ministries, accusing them of abusing their powers by giving the film's producers permission to alter the landscape in a national park.
It is the first time in Thailand's history such a case has been brought by ordinary citizens against the government.
But given the traditionally slow pace of Thailand's legal system, the case could go on for years.
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See also: |
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06 Dec 98 | Entertainment |
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Trouble in Paradise |
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15 Jul 99 | Entertainment |
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DiCaprio's Thai present problem |
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03 Feb 99 | Asia-Pacific |
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Film-makers start restoring Thai beach |
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01 Feb 99 | Entertainment |
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Fox faces investigation over Beach row |
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18 Jan 99 | Entertainment |
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DiCaprio tries to calm Beach storm |
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Thai Government information service |
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Fox Movies |
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Leonardo DiCaprio |
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Leonardo DiCaprio fan site |
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The beach - Thai student web site |
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