A South Korean broadcaster and its Thai fixers are accused of knowingly violating the terms of their shooting permit to film contestants hunting and eating protected giant clams in Thailand.
Thailand’s Film Board this morning announced that a criminal investigation would be conducted into the actions of the South Korean producers of Law of the Jungle, whose crew allegedly snuck out to shoot a recently aired segment featuring contestants prying protected species from the seabed.
“The film crew secretly entered the national park to shoot the episode without telling park authorities. Because of this, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has filed a report against SBS Broadcasting Center as well as The 6th Element production services company,” read the statement.
Koreans accused of prying free protected Thai clams to eat on TV
It said that the Korean production company violated the terms of its permit.
The new accusations undercut a Friday apology from the show’s producers saying they were unaware of Thai law.
“Though the Film Board granted permission for the crew to film their show, they did not agree to them destroying Thailand’s natural resources and environs,” the film board statement continued.
A phone number listed for The 6th Element, the Thai production agency, was not working Monday morning; its website was likewise inaccessible.
The Law of the Jungle crew was permitted to record at Trang Province’s Chao Mai Beach, Koh Waen and Koh Muk – which all lie in the Hat Chao Mai National Park – on March 29 and April 1-3, according to authorities. The specific scenes involving the endangered clams were filmed April 2 when there were strong winds in the region, preventing filming near Koh Muk.
Though park authorities were told the film crew members would halt production and head back to their hotel for the day, they secretly piloted their boat outside the agreed-upon shooting area to dive for the clams, according to Thai authorities.
The episode originally June 29.
Their actions violated both the 1961 National Park Act, which can be punished by up to five years in prison or a fine of THB20,000 (US$650), as well as the 1992 Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act, punishable by up to a THB40,000 (US$1,305) fine or four years in jail.
Film Board president Narisroj Fuangrabil published an agreement – signed in mid-March, by the Seoul Broadcasting System producer Yongjae Cho, agreeing to refrain from filming or presenting any “content about hunting in Thailand.”
On Saturday, Film Board president Narisroj Fuangrabil wrote online that Law of the Jungle’s producers had been blacklisted from ever filming in the kingdom again. Narong Kong-ead, head of the marine national park, told Coconuts Bangkok this morning that this had not actually happened yet.
Officials must now look into who specifically handled which part of the planning for the production in order to determine suitable punishment for each responsible party, Narong said.
The two production companies are not the only parties facing criminal charges. South Korean actress, Yeol-eum Lee, who was filmed diving to uproot the clams, faces up to five years in a Thai jail for the reality TV stunt, an official said Saturday.
South Korean actress faces Thai jail for reality TV stunt
Despite the show’s public apology, the case is a criminal one and legal complaints cannot be withdrawn. It is now up to the court’s prosecutor to decide if Lee will be pursued or if the case will be dropped.
She faces either five years imprisonment under the National Parks law and a fine of THB20,000 (US$650) or four years and a fine of up to THB40,000 (US$1,305) if sought for breaking the Wildlife Protection law.
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