Senator Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, a Thai parliamentarian who was chased out of a Thai-owned restaurant in Iceland and verbally abused last week due to her political stance, has also been criticised for her photos of the Eldhraun moss fields taken during this trip.
The Eldhraun moss is a protected plant that cannot be entered, and there were warning signs in the area. Senator Khunying Porntip promptly deleted the said post and apologized afterwards.
“I want to make it clear that it was a mistake on my part not to know the regulations and laws. In case you are wondering why I didn’t know, there was in-flight entertainment on the plane encouraging us to visit Iceland. There were people lying on Eldhraun Moss, so I didn’t think much of it, nor did I see any prohibition signs. However, there was a parking lot nearby, and there were other people parked there, so we went in. So I apologize for that,” said Senator Khunying Porntip.
However, this incident led to the emergence of two famous actresses, Bella Ranee Campen and Preem Ranida Techasit, who also visited Iceland and were photographed sitting and kicking on the Eldhraun moss. This controversy has sparked debate and discussion online.
The fan clubs of the two actresses argued that they both visited Iceland in 2016, while the warning signs were not posted until 2018. This confirms that neither actress knowingly violated any rules. In addition, there have been numerous photos in the past of tourists standing or posing for photos on the moss-covered lava fields.
Earlier, Dr. Jetsada Denduangboripant, a biology professor at Chulalongkorn University, was one of the first to warn about Eldhraun Moss, sharing his knowledge via a Facebook page: “Don’t sleep on Eldhraun Moss in Iceland like Justin Bieber did”.
Iceland, the largest island nation in northern Europe, has a remarkable landscape to offer, including the Eldhraun lava field with its black lava rocks. It is located on the southern coast of the country and was formed by a major volcanic eruption known as the Lakagígar eruption in 1783-1784, which claimed more than 10,000 lives.
However, due to the long time that has passed since the volcanic eruption, the lava fields are covered with lush green moss and form a stunning and unique landscape.
Moss is a common plant in Iceland’s natural environment, but the fact that it covers an area of 565 square kilometers makes it particularly impressive. Moss has the ability to thrive in nutrient-poor environments and endure cold temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius. However, it is a delicate organism, and tourists are generally not allowed to walk on it. When the famous singer Justin Biener shot his music video and was seen lying on the moss, he was heavily criticized.
“The best way to admire the mossy landscape is to stop at the viewpoint located at the free parking lots near the main road,” Dr. Jetsada said.
