ONE of Phuket's best-known tourism resort pioneers, Club Med, is embroiled in a beachfront mangrove forest dispute that has alienated local villagers and even disturbed some of the resort's own guests.
Amid today's protest, it emerged that the popular international brand not only controls most of the land along Kata beach, but also wants to create a walled extension into what has until now been a local forest and parkland.
The Karon tessaban council rents this ''public park'' from the owner of the Club Med site. Even the public toilet block is on Club Med-linked land.
The owner of the Club Med land also owns part of the land at the southern end of the beach on which the new Karon tessaban offices have been built.
Locals turned out today to put up banners at the northern end of Kata, near the newly-created iron supports for foundation posts for a beachfront wall where there was once a public sala and forest parkland.
The 6.5 rai area would be surrounded by a 1.5 metre fence, which would run along 200 metres fronting the sand.
The wall will lock out locals from land they have been using for decades, and reduce access to a canal that runs through Club Med land, from where locals launch their longtail boats.
The owners of 38 longtails were among those who protested today at the site. Club Med guest Mona Davidsen, 56, from Norway, was with her husband and another couple at the demonstration.
She said she had been to Phuket 14 times in the past 10 years and could see a big difference in Phuket from a decade ago. ''Why don't people think about taking care of the environment, rather than building more walls?
''We come back because Phuket is still beautiful. We don't come here for the buildings. We want to get away from them.''
Local longtail owner Pradit Thammawattana, 53, said he had lived in Kata for 50 years. The long beachfront wall would mean that if a second tsunami came, people would be forced to run to either end rather than through the parkland.
Club Med spokesperson Vijit Dasantad, who is the local authority coordinator, said the resort rented the land and wanted to make it plain by erecting the walls that it was their property. Permission had not been granted yet for construction of the walls, he said.
Karon council had asked Club Med to put at least four openings in the beachside frontage of the wall, and to reduce its height from 1.75 metres to 1.5 metres. Mangroves line the rear of the proposed construction zone.
Locals say that when the canal floods, the overspill goes into the mangroves that would be cut by the wall. The longtail owners would no longer have access to the site where they traditionally repaired and maintained their vessels, they said.
Club Med opened in 1982 and is credited with being the first major resort on Phuket.
Phuket Songkran Rings Alarm at Packed PrisonAmid today's protest, it emerged that the popular international brand not only controls most of the land along Kata beach, but also wants to create a walled extension into what has until now been a local forest and parkland.
The Karon tessaban council rents this ''public park'' from the owner of the Club Med site. Even the public toilet block is on Club Med-linked land.
The owner of the Club Med land also owns part of the land at the southern end of the beach on which the new Karon tessaban offices have been built.
Locals turned out today to put up banners at the northern end of Kata, near the newly-created iron supports for foundation posts for a beachfront wall where there was once a public sala and forest parkland.
The 6.5 rai area would be surrounded by a 1.5 metre fence, which would run along 200 metres fronting the sand.
The wall will lock out locals from land they have been using for decades, and reduce access to a canal that runs through Club Med land, from where locals launch their longtail boats.
The owners of 38 longtails were among those who protested today at the site. Club Med guest Mona Davidsen, 56, from Norway, was with her husband and another couple at the demonstration.
She said she had been to Phuket 14 times in the past 10 years and could see a big difference in Phuket from a decade ago. ''Why don't people think about taking care of the environment, rather than building more walls?
''We come back because Phuket is still beautiful. We don't come here for the buildings. We want to get away from them.''
Local longtail owner Pradit Thammawattana, 53, said he had lived in Kata for 50 years. The long beachfront wall would mean that if a second tsunami came, people would be forced to run to either end rather than through the parkland.
Club Med spokesperson Vijit Dasantad, who is the local authority coordinator, said the resort rented the land and wanted to make it plain by erecting the walls that it was their property. Permission had not been granted yet for construction of the walls, he said.
Karon council had asked Club Med to put at least four openings in the beachside frontage of the wall, and to reduce its height from 1.75 metres to 1.5 metres. Mangroves line the rear of the proposed construction zone.
Locals say that when the canal floods, the overspill goes into the mangroves that would be cut by the wall. The longtail owners would no longer have access to the site where they traditionally repaired and maintained their vessels, they said.
Club Med opened in 1982 and is credited with being the first major resort on Phuket.
Breaking News Phuket's prison is so overcrowded that the commanders fears the stress that extra arrests during the Songkran Festival will bring. He is seeking the governor's help.
Phuket Songkran Rings Alarm at Packed Prison
Phuket's HQ Under Army Guard in Red Alert
Breaking News For the first time, signs of political trouble appear on Phuket as the island's administrative headquarters are protected by the army. There were no reds in sight.
Phuket's HQ Under Army Guard in Red Alert
Phuket Rides the Tourist Tide Nicely: TAT
Phuket's Economy This high season, Phuket has surged as others sink. That's the good fortune of an island where politics has not pose a problem since its trend setting airport invasion of 2008.
Phuket Rides the Tourist Tide Nicely: TAT
Tsunami Good Samaritan Robs Tourist at Knifepoint
Breaking News Police have arrested a man they say gave a lift to a tourist as they fled Patong in the tsunami alert. The man later produced a knife and stole a total of 90,000 baht in cash and goods.
Tsunami Good Samaritan Robs Tourist at Knifepoint
Before the tsunami this land was Club Med's sailing club and locals were not allowed in there. As usual Club Med owns the land but the local thugs want it back. If it was Kata Beach Resort or Kata Thani, nothing would be said.
Posted by lordjim on April 9, 2010 15:30