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Jet-skis on Patong beach last week: is this Andaman tourism's future?

Andaman Launches Survival Strategy

Saturday, May 23, 2015
PHUKET: The fight to save the future of the Andaman coast region took a step forward yesterday when officials from five provinces met to determine a strategy.

Representatives from Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Satun and Trang now seem united in a collective desire to create a four-year strategy that works.

Driven by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the gathering at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday at least produced rumblings that action is necessary today to strike a balance with nature and prevent profit-takers destroying the Andaman.

Tourism Association of Phang Nga representative Yutthana Sangnnamg put it bluntly: ''We should limit tourist numbers, and why not?

''There is no proper management at departure piers so we know precisely how many people are visiting the region's marine national parks, and where the money goes.''

She also said that the speedy development of Khao Lak as the main tourism jump-point north of Phuket meant that the town desperately needed more officers and better policing.

The chief officer of Trang province, Chiayaporn Pattanarak, said too-rapid development was a concern.

''Government support is needed with good infrastructure,'' he said.

Krabi Tourism Association representative Sirawi Walao said that culture was important, and that the region also didn't need 100 speedboats dropping 100 anchors in inappropriate places 100 times a day.

''Nature needs protecting and creating a network of buoys throughout the region is something that needs to be done.''

On Phuket, package tourists especially from China have created the spectre of coordinated networks sucking away revenue from tourism into fewer and fewer pockets.

Last week's revelation of a ''recession'' in Phuket's Kata-Karon region was the latest sign of just how speedily local industries can be ruined by policies of greed.

Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong said that safety should not be overlooked, either.

In the wake of the burning and sinking of the Krabi to Phuket ferry earlier this year, the honorary consul for Switzerland especially had expressed concern about insurance.

Many people who were bringing their holiday luggage back to Phuket lost everything and have so far been denied adequate compensation.

Phuketwan has also been told of day-trip backpackers who claimed what they lost was valued at 300,000 baht.

''We should put safety and security as an important past of this concept,'' the governor said, noting that there had yet to be a response from a Pattaya dive company after an American diver went missing in the sea off Phuket on a trip to the Similan islands.

Substantial sums were expended on fuel during the attempted search and rescue operation. After making preliminary investigations, the dive vessel continued to the Similans and took no further part, choosing to make money from paying passengers instead.

Local cultures should become a powerful selling point for the region, said Bhuritt Masswongsa, of the Phuket Tourism Association.

''Let's not let academics make all the decisions about the region's future,'' he said. ''Leading research institutes should also be involved in this.''

Phuketwan's view is that a forward strategy must slow development throughout the region by making construction more expensive.

Shophouse rows have replaced roadside greenery across Phuket. The overdevelopment of Phi Phi is another sad lesson in opportunism and lack of future planning.

Beaches and reefs clearly need better protection and guardians who are not concerned about their own greed.

Patong Photo Album: What Phuketwan Says:

THE GOVERNOR of Phuket chose Patong to become the role model for the island's beaches yet his reforms have failed because the local municipal council admits it cannot enforce any rules. Jet-skis, wisely banned in Phang Nga and Krabi, now predominate along the beachfront.

Phuketwan has been told that touts now try to sell jet-ski rides in Soi Bangla walking street, where time-share touts and lewd sex-show touts already create the wrong impression.

If the Andaman region is to have a future in tourism, Phuketwan believes Phuket must set the right example by:

.. banning jet-skis;
.. reducing extraordinary commissions
.. savagely cutting tuk-tuk and taxi fares;
.. clearing commerce from all the beaches for good;
.. allowing tourists to bring their own beach chairs and umbrellas.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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On your photos I see jet skies on the beach. Is it not Phuket marine 5 office who is responsible that no jet skies stay on the beach sands? Why is that still happening? Where is democratic law enforcement?
And as long Phuket Governor just say only that safety should not be overlooked, but he is doing nothing, than it is just cheap thai marketing lip service.
So far the Governor has done nothing with and about the complains and suggestions of all the foreign Consuls on Phuket! Why not? Is being pro-active a sin?

Posted by Kurt on May 23, 2015 10:44

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nothing will change in the future like it happened in the last 4 years of BLA BLA BLA.. except 2 things: the dramatic deterioration of the environment and the number of quality tourists.. they deserve what they have

Posted by dave on May 23, 2015 11:17

Editor Comment:

Who is ''they'' dave and why do you continue to blather in the same way as ''they'' do?

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PW is straight forward and correct in stating the right example.
However, thai influential people, governmental or private, like to work out complicated options, leaving room for different interpretations, just keep things 'foggy' to please local influential people to feed their families, surplus: overseas traveling, kids on overseas international schools, expensive car parks, and keep strategically undemocratically in 'power'.
We still need this Government + NCPO to fumigate all this.

Posted by Kurt on May 23, 2015 11:23

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I lived in Patong for 8 years and seen the tourists go away from Phuket,year after year, find some more mafia free destinations. Patong is soon finished as a tourist destination, sad but true....
Look at the photos from Patong beach, tragic or not.....

Posted by Scandinavian expat on May 23, 2015 11:33

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Quote "Last week's revelation of a ''recession'' in Phuket's Kata-Karon region was the latest sign of just how speedily local industries can be ruined by policies of greed"

Not just greed, but by continually biting the hand that feeds you. Without tourism, Phuket would become a dust bowl of emptyness. The Kata-Karon revelation is just a stark reminder of what the future could hold, should the authorities continue on this path of greed and corruption.

Thailand has been given the 'yellow card', and it is up to the powers that be, to mend their ways. If not, then the future is indeed very bleek.

Posted by reader on May 23, 2015 11:40

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Those 5 suggestions by PW are all very sensible, logical and desperately necessary.

However every one of them will also dramatically cut the amount of money locals can cheat off tourists. For this reason they have very little or no chance of ever being implemented.

Selling products and services to foreigners at the same prices as to Thais is an idea that does not sit well with most locals.

"If we can't cheat tourists out of their money, what's the point in having any in the first place"

Posted by Herbert on May 23, 2015 12:09

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I and many residents including local folks in Phuket, would like to see the exact amount the jet-skis operators are paying per year with official receipts to the Patong Municipality, to the Revenue Department or any governmental agencies in order to close the debate.

Too many senior civil servants supports local thugs and illegal businesses on public lands for personal and greedy profits at the expense of the public and tourism at large and are in collision path against NCPO orders to clean Phuket of illegal businesses and fight against encroachers on public lands.

By removing those unresponsive civil servants for top positions and putting in place active civil servants able to crackdown effectively, NCPO will help Phuket to get off the mess.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on May 23, 2015 12:11

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Fully agree with PW here.
However, TAT should also be mentioned here at TAT is ultimately responsible for tourism.
I do like to ask TAT here: ???. Why TAT never speaks out about all those scams and rip-offs? Why TAT never condemns the lack of law enforcement for transportation, development, safety and other obvious tourist traps?
Why TAT still present misleading figures when talking about arrivals and tourism business situation in the country?
As long as the responsible agency for tourism does not understand and speak out about serious issues, there will not be much hope.
My predictions: Tourism in Thailand will collapse because of strong competition and because of our ego and greet of people in authority. Next will be that we will fix and address ???some??? problems. Next, if tourism recovers, we will make the same mistakes again.

Posted by Mr. K on May 23, 2015 13:25

Editor Comment:

The TAT is not responsible for tourism. The TAT is a marketing organisation.

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My husband and I are in our sixties. We have been going to Patong for about ten years. We lead busy hectic lives in Australia and love to relax on the beach reading, soaking up the beauty of the Andaman for hours when we are on holiday. We are too old to lug beach chairs and umbrellas to the beach every day, but we need them if we are to have the type of holiday we enjoy. I'm sure we are not the only Patong holiday makers who feel like this. Why can't beach chair and umbrella rental be regulated and managed?

Posted by Jules on May 23, 2015 13:32

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Things could get a lot worse when more people read about the issues of the Thai aviation industry and if there are cuts made of Thai flights outside of Thailand. There are many factors that have contributed to this and it is only going to get worse as little is changing. The world has many places now with more flights in Asia than ever before at low prices even regional areas are open to most budgets. Myanmar I hear has lovely beaches and Temples etc. Is Thailand complacent, there again BKK (Suv) airport might be handling more flights and people than it was built for if what I read was entirely accurate so go figure. Phuket in my opinion is only going to get worse unless changes are made and implemented. I would say here but don't have a work permit - lol.

Posted by Feisty Farang on May 23, 2015 13:41

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"Tourism Association of Phang Nga representative Yutthana Sangnnamg put it bluntly: ''We should limit tourist numbers, and why not?"
I'm sure that Khao Lak businesses struggling to make a four month season into a year round one will welcome that statement from their provincial representative!
Just as PW is promoting a progressive strategy that addresses it's current siuation, each of the other provinces needs a strategy that addresses its own individual appeal, roblems and future with an overarching Strategic Plan that recognises individuality and uses it to the advantage of the wider region. That is a huge challenge.

Posted by Alan on May 23, 2015 14:00

Editor Comment:

The brake should go on development across the region . What's not needed are more shophouses. Too late, sadly, for phuket, where even the coast road views are being built over.

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Yesterday the governor expanded the jet-ski area at Patong Beach to 50%, according to another news site.

Can anybody explain what's behind this decision?

Posted by Sherlock on May 23, 2015 14:31

Editor Comment:

The jet-skis have had 50 percent of the beach for several months, Sherlock. Perhaps the other news site has just caught up.

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I fully agree with PW about the five points that must been taken care of and enforced.

Posted by Mj on May 23, 2015 17:52

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Car Cameras MUST be installed on ALL public Transport - Tuktuk/Taxi's so everything can be recorded which protects both the Passenger and the Driver from problems that may arise.

Failure to use a Camera should be fined heavily.

Protecting the tourists should be a priority.

Posted by Tbs on May 23, 2015 18:26

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Nice new beach bar going up in Nai Yang, so tourist can get a bite and watch the seaside go by. Looks good on the plans.
The rock old places like Lotus in Laguna were Icons of their time?

Posted by Robin on May 23, 2015 18:53

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Patong beach today, big waves, no safety swim zones, Jets skies riding along the beach wave jumping. The jet ski people using a lot more of the beach hassling people to ride and of coarse the parachute people too. Why Why Why is nearly all the beach give to these people

Posted by Dobby on May 23, 2015 19:44

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@ Ed - Yes I agree, but yesterday the governor had made it an official statement.

Why does he think the jet-ski business is so important?

Posted by Sherlock on May 23, 2015 20:03

Editor Comment:

I hope you are not going to quote something he's alleged to have told a tabloid newspaper as ''an official statement,'' Sherlock. You should ask your embassy why there's been such a dramatic change in thinking since Patong was a popular swimming destination with a natural allure and jet-skis were to be phased out over seven years.

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"The rock old places like Lotus in Laguna were Icons of their time?"

What are you nuts? What does that mean, please?

Posted by Elephants Gerald on May 23, 2015 22:38

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Yikes! I hope Phuket saves itself.

Posted by Paradise on May 23, 2015 22:41

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-jules- You write "We have been going to Patong for about ten years. - love to relax on the beach reading, soaking up the beauty of the Andaman for hours when we are on holiday." I surprised, you choose for relaxing Patong - or you like the nightlife to? Otherwise, - I come to Patong since 1990, than it was relaxing until some years later and since the new Millenium it got terrible. Still some Thai places for relax ok, but not Patong. ;-) since very long not.

Posted by Alfred on May 23, 2015 23:19

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I ask myself: Why is the Phuket Governor giving 50% of patong beach to Jet ski and parasail operators who absolute contribute nothing to the 'balance', but are just profit takers?
.

Posted by Kurt on May 24, 2015 09:22

Editor Comment:

The jet-skis are a huge negative for Phuket tourism. The Governor may be being told differently. He should talk to more ''quality'' tourists and environmentalists, not Phuket Marine Office 5.

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Who can have the idea, that a tourist must first buy beach chairs and umbrellas for his family? Why rent a car? The tourist could buy one :-(

Posted by Alfred Keller on May 26, 2015 15:17


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