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Thursday, 6 April, 2000, 10:57 GMT 11:57 UK
DiCaprio's Beach closes
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach
The Thai beach used in the filming of Leonardo DiCaprio's film The Beach has closed for restoration - angering campaigners who claim the production has damaged the environment.

Maya beach, on Phi Phi Le island, was closed by forestry authorities on 1 April, following a series of protests by locals and environmental activists.

They claim 20th Century Fox damaged the beauty spot after being given a government licence to shoot the film there in early 1999.

Campaigner Somsak Kittitorrakul told the Bangkok Post newspaper that by closing down the beach, Thailand's Royal Forestry Department had tacitly admitted the environment around the beach had deteriorated because of the film.


The Beach protest
Protests greeted The Beach's opening in Thailand
He added: "Maya Beach certainly needs to be restored. But a hasty move to close it in the middle of a tourist season will only hurt tour operators and local villagers."

Somsak, the administration chief of the Krabi province, started legal action against Fox, the forestry department and Thailand's agriculture minister over the decision to give Fox a licence to film there.

It is claimed that the necessary environmental and social impact studies were not carried out before the beach was levelled, with much of the natural vegetation stripped away to turn it into a fantasy paradise island.

Fox claims that the beach has been restored to its natural state, but campaigners say it has since been blighted by erosion.

The film's star, Leonardo DiCaprio, has said Fox took "meticulous" care to safeguard the island, and the studio said the erosion was caused by unusually heavy storms.

The court action started in November 1999, but could take years to resolve given the traditionally slow pace of Thailand's legal system.

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See also:

10 Mar 00 | Asia-Pacific
Tourists flock to The Beach
09 Mar 00 | Entertainment
Thai MPs call for Beach ban
07 Mar 00 | Entertainment
Thais stage DiCaprio 'suicide'
28 Feb 00 | Entertainment
Beach's box office bombshell
10 Feb 00 | Entertainment
Fears for DiCaprio's Beach
19 Nov 99 | Asia-Pacific
DiCaprio film trial begins
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