Spearfishing Thailand/Vietnam

[The Exhale Diver]

Just wondering if anyone has speared in these countries, I am looking at taking a holiday up there for two weeks but don't know any of the areas, do you get Doggies in these waters?. I think much of it may be protected, any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[DeepThought]

As far as I know spearfishing is ilegal in Thailand, sorry.

 

[StretchArmStron]

don't think so deepthought, watch the clips from Thailand in the video Wet Dreams....the water and fish there are absolutley out of this world.!

 

[DeepThought]

Yes, the water are great there.
The fact that there is spearfishing done in the water (and filmed) doesn't really prove it (nor my claim of the opposite).
People I trust told me it's ilegal, that's what I forward.

 

[The Exhale Diver]

I am confussed myself regarding Thailand, I emailed a couple of sport fishing charters one said Spearfishing was totally illegal in all Thai waters, he was quite adament about that although he did comment that many locals spearfish regardless, while another charter operator said it was legal if freediving not on scuba.

I don’t really know how to find out for sure as I can’t read the Thai websites. I know it is legal in Indonesia, I could always go there but I suspect it is not as safe and friendly at the moment especially for someone from Australia.

 

[alexanderXP]

What about Malaysia?

Hell... who cares, no one will see you anyway! Nail only the fish you willl eat and then your sole is free from any "sins" no matter who, even if its God or the Thai Law. But if you get caught.... defenetly prision!

 

[poacher]

Illegal in sth east asia ? as long as its not something like drugs (which will find you on the wrong end of a rope or gun barrel) a small bribe will prbably sort it out the cops will let you off if you buy them lunch or give about $10 in local currency just handed over with drivers licence or ID gets a response like well sir what your doing is not correct but we can let you go with a warning this time. Brett I have worked in Indo a few times the Indonesians are friendly people and I wouldnt worry about them too much a couple of them asked me what I thought of the gulf war which was in full swing at the time when I told them I thought we were wrong to go there and was not really interested in it they were OK I told them hey guys I am just a mechanic here to fix your gears so you can make cement and I am not a soldier and had no desire to fight anyone they laughed.
The guys I worked with were mostly muslems and would not buy beer to drink but said if I offered them one it was OK for them to have one or 2 so as not to be insulting to there host ,just that they should not get drunk.
I took a dozen longnecks to a company celebration(the contractor killed a couple of goats and cut them up and gave all his men a bag of assorted pieces of goat as a reward for finishing the project without any major accidents) when I produced the beers in a box of Ice the guys asked whos beer are they I said anyone can have one thinking they would be shy of it cause they were muslems -next thing I thought I was holding the ball in a rugby game there was 20 guys trying to jump over each other for a free beer I had to wrestle 1 out for my self.
If you go to Indo just hang at small local hotels and resraunts don't go to big tourist areas youll be cool. I even travelled alone for a few hundred KM on a train and was in the economy section with no seat due to all saets being sold out the locals were very helpfull and friendly.

 

[The Exhale Diver]

Thats fasinating about Indo, I want to go there too I may do that on the next trip this time it will be Thailand as I have a few mates to catch up with and well to be honest we won't be just diving we will be chasing women too and I thought Thailand would be better for that. If I have to freedive then I guess will, begrudgingly I might add, we will see.

 

[alexanderXP]

Ohh.... I love this word "bribe"!!!

In Russia or Asia this is the only way to feel free....

Man, I just need to go to Thai once to "nial" some fish and ....... .hehe

 

[Rob Blok]

In all nature parks (almost all over thailand it is highly illigal) You further more have to have a boat to get there and most dive operators will turn you in. They dont like you killing their fish. They need the fish for their clients. Even fishing is illigal in nature parks. Most divesites are in nature parks.. Bribing.. you can try but if it fails your in big shit.
I live in thailand dive a lot and talked to dive operators a lot

 

[andy thailand]

Hi my name is Andy and I own SEAduction dive center in Pattaya Thailand. I would just like to make all the facts and laws known to you all. Spearfishing in Thailand is not illegal only if you find your self in a national park are you going to have a problem and I mean a problem. You will not buy your way out of it, with a quick bung , it will cost you around 2000 pounds my advise is go with a guide who knows the water and knows were the national parks start and end. There are no bag limits and no off season and no size restrictions. if your in Pattaya please look us up as we would be only to happy to take you out for the day www.seaductiondiving.com

 

[Farang Shao Ley]

Spearfishing in Thailand is not illegal

THATS TRUE !!!
I am spearfishing in Thailand for more then 15 Years and I never had problems with any authorithies.
There are still many places, which are no marine-parks, but Scuba-diving
growth up that much the last years, that its better to have a Thai with you,
if you don't won't get override by a dive-boat.
Very often are more then 30 divers :duh on one boat, and when this herds of divers are released in the water, beware of the boat-driver !!
It hapened more then once, they let there dive-boat float to the place where we are, pushing us away or starting their engines near by us, to get washed away.
Meanwhile, mostly seen at japanese divers, this herds of divers destroying a lot off corals,,, they don't now to weight-balance cause off lack of solid education. (Palm-tree-brevets)

Better not to start much discussion with these thai boat-owners if you alone,
because in Thailand guns are wide spread and they think, they have to protect their source of income (even if not a marine park)

greetz

 

[nchabanier]

Sorry man it is not illegal to spearfish in Thailand, pls visit the Fisheries office and it is clearly mentionned there.

 

[nchabanier]

HI Andy, I am also spearfishing in Thailand and many times around pattaya but not taht much. I am living in CHina but go to Thailand everymonth. Do you have GT aroung Pattaya? So far there I ve seen "only red snapper, queen fish, barracuda, trevally (below 8 Kg), cobia and sharks. Pls let me know, I ll be in Thailand mid of June.
Thks
Nicolas

 

[Rob Blok]

Sorry man it is not illegal to spearfish in Thailand, pls visit the Fisheries office and it is clearly mentionned there.

I said in nature parks.. and a lot of places in Thailand are nature / marine parks.. Inside there it is illigal.

 

[Rob Blok]

HI Andy, I am also spearfishing in Thailand and many times around pattaya but not taht much. I am living in CHina but go to Thailand everymonth. Do you have GT aroung Pattaya? So far there I ve seen "only red snapper, queen fish, barracuda, trevally (below 8 Kg), cobia and sharks. Pls let me know, I ll be in Thailand mid of June.
Thks
Nicolas

I am interested about where you have seen sharks, I love to see them in the wild so far i have only seen them in the Phi Phi area (Andaman sea) Not around pattaya.

 

[andy thailand]

Hi Nicolas,
The GT are mostly found in Same san the big ones in deep water and they are shy. The big ones up to 15-20 kg but they are rare.
As for sharks small sand sharks can be found off all the small far Islands like koh rin. Tiger sharks are to be found next to bamboo Island, put some blood in the water and they will come around.. And if you want to see some bull sharks and trust me you dont then there is a small group that live in same san hole. This goes down to 70 m and they are seen when we go tech diving there. The big one is about 4 m long and leaves a nasty stain in students wet suits. I hope this is of some help to you Nicolas as for cobia we got 4 on rod and line last time out on a three day fishing trip i will post some pics on the web site as soon as i have some free time. Also this week I was out spearfishing with an old army buddy, who is here on his once a year trip and he shot the daddy of parot fish, I think it must have been at least 12 kg

 

[thaidiver]

I had someone from this board (I won't mention any names) tell me that all of Phuket is national parks, which isn't true. This is from the Phuket Gazette... If anyone is around Phuket and wants to go, let me know.

http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=527

Is spear-fishing legal?Is spear-fishing legal in Phuket and surrounding areas? If so, is it legal to bring spear-fishing equipment through the airports? Is it the same everywhere else in Thailand?
Monday, June 2, 2003Mike Kim, Phuket.“You can spear-fish anywhere as long as the area is not a marine life preservation area such as Cape Panwa, or at the two ends of Patong Bay. ”
Monday, June 2, 2003 Sinthi Daengsakul, Chief, Phuket Provincial Fishery Office.
“Bringing spear-fishing equipment into the country is not illegal. There shouldn’t be any problem bringing it in through the airport if you have it wrapped properly or in a container. ”
Monday, June 2, 2003 Pol Lt Col Chartchai Nicrodhanon, Deputy Superintendent (Suppression), Phuket Town Station

 

[tamoshee]

I have speared in Thailand, off Koh Samui and off Krabi. I took local fishing boats from both Samui and Krabi to out-lying islands to spear. The viz was terrible around Samui. Around Krabi was good. When Departing Samui by air, for Krabi, the check-in desk suggested I carry my speargun bag onto the plane as hand luggage... it contained 2 pneumatics and a band gun. I declined without explantion and checked the bag into the hold. This was june 2005!
So much for airline security! David

 

[Craig Thailand]

Hi Andy,
Hows it going in Pattaya, i will be popping down to the shop this saturday so book me in for a couple of dives mate, call me to confirm if neds be. I would like the pics from last weekend too if you can send them via email that would be great. I am also ready for Indo for blue water hunting so have you confirmed a price and date??
I am planning to do the srinakarin Dam in Kantchanaburi next weekend if you guys want to join me and Met that would be cool.
Thaidiver if you are around central Thailand give me a call and we can do some spearing 05-222-8986
I will do the same when i go down south.
Craig