PRIVATISATION of Phuket's beachfronts has triggered a crisis at once-peaceful Nai Yang, where the local mayor says three to five new restaurants are now springing up each month.
According to Surapong Panyawai, mayor of Sakoo council, efforts to plan a sensible and environmentally healthy approach along Nai Yang beach have been undermined by the rush to make money along the beach.
For decades the beach, close to Phuket International Airport, remained a peaceful place for a beach meal. But all that has changed now.
''We have not been able to resolve the issues involved,'' Khun Surapong said. ''Because the space is public land, everybody believes they can set up business there and make money.''
The charm of Nai Yang is that the beach road winds around several large trees, an indication that locals at one time appreciated the beauty of the shorefront. There are fewer signs of that now, amid a scramble to set up shop.
Even the border with the Sirinath National Park is now uncertain, with rangers anxious to prevent encroachment by squatters who might seek a slice of the protected reserve.
A new approach that was to begin with construction of a 300,000 baht concrete row of restaurants to replace the bamboo and thatch structures soon developed problems. Only 13 of the 19 existing restaurants had a place in the new model.
At least one of the six restaurateurs who were left out rebuilt his own premises overnight, one of the reasons why prices at all the restaurants have rapidly spiralled higher.
And even the 13 owners who were part of the rebuilding plan have their noses out of joint because they were asked to directly contribute 100,000 baht to construction costs, as well as having to pay monthly rent to the council.
Bad water runoff to the sea is also a problem, particularly near a large sala where a group of local women have traditionally done massages for tourists.
The beach has moved upmarket with the advent of the Indigo Pearl Resort behind the beach road. As with many of Phuket's beaches, the problems really begin once locals sense that there is money to be made.
Symbol of the opportunism posed by Phuket's sand and sea is the Bus Bar, a bus that was simply parked under trees near Nai Yang beach one day, and soon after opened for business as a restaurant and bar.
Local officials planned a meeting on January 14 to halt the restaurant openings but abandoned it because of local resentments.
Killer Crash Twist Exposes Phuket Coral Reef PlundererAccording to Surapong Panyawai, mayor of Sakoo council, efforts to plan a sensible and environmentally healthy approach along Nai Yang beach have been undermined by the rush to make money along the beach.
For decades the beach, close to Phuket International Airport, remained a peaceful place for a beach meal. But all that has changed now.
''We have not been able to resolve the issues involved,'' Khun Surapong said. ''Because the space is public land, everybody believes they can set up business there and make money.''
The charm of Nai Yang is that the beach road winds around several large trees, an indication that locals at one time appreciated the beauty of the shorefront. There are fewer signs of that now, amid a scramble to set up shop.
Even the border with the Sirinath National Park is now uncertain, with rangers anxious to prevent encroachment by squatters who might seek a slice of the protected reserve.
A new approach that was to begin with construction of a 300,000 baht concrete row of restaurants to replace the bamboo and thatch structures soon developed problems. Only 13 of the 19 existing restaurants had a place in the new model.
At least one of the six restaurateurs who were left out rebuilt his own premises overnight, one of the reasons why prices at all the restaurants have rapidly spiralled higher.
And even the 13 owners who were part of the rebuilding plan have their noses out of joint because they were asked to directly contribute 100,000 baht to construction costs, as well as having to pay monthly rent to the council.
Bad water runoff to the sea is also a problem, particularly near a large sala where a group of local women have traditionally done massages for tourists.
The beach has moved upmarket with the advent of the Indigo Pearl Resort behind the beach road. As with many of Phuket's beaches, the problems really begin once locals sense that there is money to be made.
Symbol of the opportunism posed by Phuket's sand and sea is the Bus Bar, a bus that was simply parked under trees near Nai Yang beach one day, and soon after opened for business as a restaurant and bar.
Local officials planned a meeting on January 14 to halt the restaurant openings but abandoned it because of local resentments.
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Gotta love it --- The Bus Bar. A classier approach would be to run a yacht aground or fly a jumbo in (like in KL in the '80'2.)
Posted by ssresident on February 5, 2011 11:36