Locals on the island of Phi Phi, 340 miles southwest of Bangkok, also plan to sue the local official responsible for giving Fox permission to alter the landscape of Maya beach, by re-shaping sand dunes and planting coconut trees.

They also say natural vegetation has been removed from the beach, which is in a natural park conservation area and cannot be altered according to Thai law.

The villagers have already staged sit-in protests at the site of the filming, which has yet to begin.

A 'step taken in desperation'

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Protester Apinan Paongern, who heads the environment committee for Krabi province said, "To solve grievances, villagers would rather block highways than take the powerful to court. In a society which shuns confrontation except in the heat of the moment, this is an unprecedented step taken in desperation."

Fellow protestor Wanlert Kittithorakul added, "Government officials have shown repeatedly they are on Fox's side. They shield the film people constantly and make excuses for them instead of upholding national park protection laws."

The villagers said they would attempt to obtain a court injunction to stop filming - due to begin this month - which would allow them to file criminal charges.

Royal Forestry Department director general Plodprasop Suraswadee and local Fox co-ordinator Santa Pestanji would be named in the suit alongside 20th Century Fox, they added.

The forestry department ordered pre-production to stop in November for an environmental impact study, but ruled last month any damage would be repairable.