Hi buds and buddhists, I was just deleting some old ecofeminist list email from about a year or more ago, and, while wildly paring without a blink, suddenly decided to read one, which contained the following, the pertinence of which at the moment is apparent to anyone who's turned on a TV set in recent history: 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
