PHUKET: Receipts are now being issued for a fee to access one of Phuket's most popular beaches.
Sun-loving tourists are being charged 20 baht to descend to the secluded arc of sand at Laem Sing beach, which lies between Surin and Kamala beaches on the west coast of the Thai holiday island.
The land bordering the beach is owned by Bangkok Broadcasting Television Channel 7, which is named in the receipt.
A spokesperson for the television channel - one of the country's most popular outlets - was not available for comment today.
But it is believed the cash will be used to maintain the steep set of steps that lead down to the beach.
Once perhaps the most idyllic beach on an island with several world-class beaches, it was possible in the early part of the century to swim at Laem Singh and not see any buildings, except for a couple of small illegal beach restaurants.
Popularity brought a huge privately owned villa to a nearby headland and authorities lopped many trees, exposing the coast road to view for the first time.
In recent years, more restaurants arrived, extending further onto the sand and blaring funky music. Illegal jet-skis became regulars, too.
People parking cars and motorcycles on land above the beach were charged 20 baht to park.
It's not clear whether those fees were being charged by the landowner, by a local council or by a freelance entrepreneur.
The land backing Laem Singh is probably too steep to hold a resort but some remarkable feats of engineering are now being performed along the rapidly developing west coast.
Nearly all the beach restaurants at Laem Singh disappeared during the military clearance of commerce from Phuket's beaches last year.
Sun-loving tourists are being charged 20 baht to descend to the secluded arc of sand at Laem Sing beach, which lies between Surin and Kamala beaches on the west coast of the Thai holiday island.
The land bordering the beach is owned by Bangkok Broadcasting Television Channel 7, which is named in the receipt.
A spokesperson for the television channel - one of the country's most popular outlets - was not available for comment today.
But it is believed the cash will be used to maintain the steep set of steps that lead down to the beach.
Once perhaps the most idyllic beach on an island with several world-class beaches, it was possible in the early part of the century to swim at Laem Singh and not see any buildings, except for a couple of small illegal beach restaurants.
Popularity brought a huge privately owned villa to a nearby headland and authorities lopped many trees, exposing the coast road to view for the first time.
In recent years, more restaurants arrived, extending further onto the sand and blaring funky music. Illegal jet-skis became regulars, too.
People parking cars and motorcycles on land above the beach were charged 20 baht to park.
It's not clear whether those fees were being charged by the landowner, by a local council or by a freelance entrepreneur.
The land backing Laem Singh is probably too steep to hold a resort but some remarkable feats of engineering are now being performed along the rapidly developing west coast.
Nearly all the beach restaurants at Laem Singh disappeared during the military clearance of commerce from Phuket's beaches last year.
Yes we discovered that last week! I hope they use some of the money they are charging to clean up the trash lying between the beach and the road....I won't be going back again....
Posted by Marnn on December 26, 2015 11:58