Tourism vs Nature | When Soft Power Turns Heavy

Review (1)

Riding the Tourism Wave: It Might Harm Nature More Than You Think

Booming Tourism Needs Limits: Beware of Mismanagement, Or The Environment Will Crumble Again

The recent release of the film Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025) has not only been a box office smash but has also sparked immense discussion online. One aspect that's drawing significant praise is the breathtaking beauty of its cinematography, a result of transforming natural locations into a stunning, million-year-old dinosaur kingdom. For this ambitious task, director Gareth Edwards chose Thailand as the perfect setting to capture the imagined richness of nature on film.

Thailand's abundant natural resources and diverse landscapes have served as backdrops for countless Hollywood films, from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) to The Creator (2023), where the same director filmed across various regions. For Jurassic World: Rebirth, filming took place in Krabi, Phang Nga, and Trang provinces, bringing in over 400 million baht in investment, creating over 2,000 jobs, and offering invaluable publicity for Thailand to global audiences. The government itself holds high expectations of leveraging this "Soft Power" to generate economic value from film-induced tourism, both domestically and internationally.

Infographic from Thailand Film Office

When a film gains popularity, follow-up tourism to its filming locations is an expected outcome, to varying degrees. On the bright side, this influence translates into revenue for local communities. On the other hand, inefficient management can lead to irreversible loss of natural resources. The film The Beach (2000) stands as one such undesirable example.

Leonardo DiCaprio from the film The Beach

Leonardo DiCaprio (as Richard’s) yearning for a beautiful, heavenly beach made Maya Bay, Phi Phi Island, Krabi, one of Thailand's most popular tourist destinations. This tiny beach had to accommodate over 5,000 tourists and more than 100 boats per day. What followed was the destruction of over 80% of its coral reefs, the disappearance of countless marine animals that once thrived there, just like the fine white sand that used to stretch far. Piles of trash accumulated around the island, with everything eroding the once-pristine ecosystem until almost no trace of its former self remained before the bright spotlight shone upon it. This doesn't even account for the fact that government officials at the time were negligent, falling prey to bribes, allowing the film crew to alter the site at will, with extreme exclusivity, leading to a significant imbalance in the original ecosystem.

Even though consequences were eventually faced and tranquility was returned to nature, the environmental violation that persisted for almost two decades makes one ponder the countless small things that were lost before society and those in power began to realize the problem and seek solutions. Some natural elements, like certain types of coral, cannot recover in a short period. The root of this problem stems partly from corruption and inefficient management of natural resources and tourism, leaning towards serving capitalism more than the marginalized people and the voiceless creatures. This eerily resembles what is happening in Palawan, the Philippines.

But the problems there are far more severe.

Tourists on Maya Bay before its closure

Palawan Province, Philippines, is another popular global tourist destination, renowned for the natural beauty of its beaches, seas, landscapes, and diverse wildlife. Palawan is exceptionally biodiverse, serving as home to hundreds of endemic species and endangered animals. It also accounts for over 10% of the Philippines' total forest area, earning it the title of the country's "Last Ecological Frontier.”

This natural abundance is now disappearing at an alarming rate. Over the past 20 years, Palawan's forest area has shrunk by over 475,000 rai (approximately 76,000 hectares), due to deforestation for commercial expansion, road construction to support urban growth, resort and hotel development, tourism facilities, cash crop plantations, and illegal logging. Despite efforts by NGOs and people to protect the forests and resist environmental destruction, they face fierce opposition from capitalists. And what's worse is when these capitalists are disguised as politicians.

Palawan Province, Philippines

The documentary film Delikado (2022) delves into this situation, vividly portraying the fierce battleground within the islands and forests, which has led to real losses. When the government (intentionally?) neglects or is too weak to implement measures to prevent natural encroachment, the people are forced to take matters into their own hands. A small group of conservationists named "Palawan NGO Network Inc. (PNNI)," with fewer than fifty members, is responsible for overseeing over 1.87 million rai (from Palawan Province's area of over 14 million sq km) of forest. They risk danger patrolling day and night to stop illegal logging and fishing. All this, with only their bare hands and a steadfast intention to apply regulations to protect the environment, against armed loggers. It even got to the point where, in the opening scene of the documentary, following a raid to seize illegal chainsaws in the forest, the group leader turns back to the crew and says, "If the lookout had seen us first, we would have been shot dead."

It's a bitter irony that this exact situation later came true.

Image from the documentary Delikado

When powerful groups refuse to lose their personal benefits, this sprawling network not only orchestrates baseless smear campaigns against well-intentioned opposing politicians and lawyers who try to object, but they also audacious enough to order the assassination of these small, unarmed fighters. Simply because these individuals prioritize the environment over economic gain and refuse to let capitalism poison the clear blue seas and green trees until they wither and deform.

These conservation groups know very well that they cannot contend with a deep state intertwined with interests reaching the highest levels of government.

They know that fighting further endangers their lives and families; they could disappear at any moment.

Even sending good, conscientious politicians to help fight ends in their defeat due to vote-buying.

But they still choose to fight, because they still believe this is "home," not just a vacation spot for someone else.

Image from the documentary Delikado

Even though the protection of natural resources, which can be likened to "the treasures of our home" here in Thailand, might not be as intensely violent as in the Philippines, and despite significant improvements in the management of conservation-tourism areas in Thailand recently, incidents like the questionable dismissal of a marine conservation influencer, cases of politicians and Chinese capital encroaching on forests to build residences and resorts, and the issuance of land deeds in questionable protected areas, all reflect looming shadows of corruption and subservience to capitalism not far away. Therefore, before it's too late, all sectors must realize that the past has taught us: if we don't collectively conserve the environment, oppose the encroachment of large capital, and efficiently manage tourism, the paradise that always seems beautiful is ready to vanish into nothing in an instant.

Travel and trends are fine, but conservation for sustainability must go hand in hand. Only then will balance be achieved.

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