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''I do, I do.'' Did they, did they? Wedding shock horror at a Phuket beach

Phuket Beach Wedding Shock: Bride and Groom May be Punished for Breaching Rules

Monday, March 9, 2015
PHUKET: Authorities on Phuket are investigating reports that a wedding has taken place on a public beach on the holiday island.

Marriages, the hiring of surfboards and all beach chairs are forbidden on Phuket's popular coastline under new rules supposed to bar commercialism. Instead, the rules are tormenting tourists.

The accusation that a wedding took place illegally on a Phuket beach was seriously being investigated today by the Mayor of Cherng Talay, Ma-Ann Samran, who oversees Surin, Bang Tao, Layan and Laypang beaches, as well as one or two smaller beaches sometimes wrongly described as ''private'' beaches.

Banning weddings and surf board hire is certainly bad for business - but it's the comprehensive ban on tourists bringing their own umbrellas and beach chairs that has caused the biggest criticism.

Phuket's commercialised beaches were reclaimed for the Thai public by the Army and the Navy after the military takeover of the country in May last year.

Although all business is supposed to be banned, jet-skis and parasail speedboats have since expanded their activities - and been granted some prime stretches of Phuket's most popular swimming beach, Patong.

Governor Nisit Jansomwong, back on Phuket after visiting Europe for the ITB Berlin travel fair, is expected to tour several beaches today to assess whether his ''10 percent zone'' idea is working.

The governor's compromise allows umbrella and mat hirers to return to a small proportion of each beach - but the sunbeds that once used to go under the mats remain banned, along with tourists bringing their own chairs.

Tourists puzzle at the logic of this edict. Dramatic scenes are likely if police are reluctantly forced to seize the beach chairs of elderly tourists who say they can probably lay down on beach mats, but some may never be able to get up again.

Articles on the battle over Phuket's beaches have been published all around the world since the clearances removed vendors and many illegal shorefront beach clubs and restaurants last year.

The vendors want to return to the sands because private enterprise on Phuket's public beaches proved profitable for them and made some people rich over three decades.

At the same time, a witchhunt has begun on Phuket to blame Phuketwan for the negative publicity around the globe.

The editor of Phuketwan, Alan Morison, said today: ''We believe in giving an honest account of what's happening on Phuket. Others prefer a dishonest account.

''We are not in the pockets of any of the island's businesspeople. Our only interest is in ensuring that Phuket has a future by fixing all of its problems.

''Pretending these problems don't exist and covering them up is what happens in a fool's paradise.

''We challenge our detractors to a public debate. It really is time these accusers showed the courage to repeat their false claims in public, and listen to the truth for once.''

It's not clear at this stage what punishment the bride and groom will face if it's proven that they liked Phuket so much they broke the rules and got married on a beach.

Comments

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Ed,

What's the nature of this witchhunt against Phuketwan? Who is involved?

Posted by phonus on March 9, 2015 08:22

Editor Comment:

Island media representatives were told over the weekend that Phuketwan made its income from selling negative stories about Phuket around the world. It's a total fabrication, invented by someone trying to impress others. We hope they find the courage to debate Phuket and its desperate need for media transparency.

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"At the same time, a witchhunt has begun on Phuket to blame Phuketwan for the negative publicity around the globe."

That's pretty ironic when PW has been a staunch supporter of the "beach clean up" initiative despite opposing views from its readers (like me at times!). Thailand is becoming more and more like it is under a military dictatorship instead of a "benign" temporary military government.

Posted by Alan on March 9, 2015 08:51

Editor Comment:

As you know, we are supporters of military intervention and we believe that in clearing the beaches, the Army and Navy did the right thing. We'd love to see the jet-skis banned, taxi and tuk-tuk numbers reduced, fares lowered, and the covering of the region in concrete slowed down.

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Well. the good part to this, is that Mr. Samran is about the only person on this island that appears to be enforcing the new rules, so my hat is off to him for that. With that said, this foolish rule is yet another poorly thought out measure that hurts Phuket and provides more fodder that continues to make Phuket officials appear poorly on the international stage. Instead of being banned, beach weddings on Phuket should be marketed around the world as a strategy to attract "quality" tourists. There could also be a process implemented whereby each wedding event would be required to obtain a permit from the local administration to ensure that public access would not be impeded, and perhaps a deposit required which would be returned after it was demonstrated that the beach was cleaned after the event. To ban beach weddings all together would be foolish and would further tarnish Phuket's reputation as an attractive destination.

Posted by Ed Sanders on March 9, 2015 09:01

Editor Comment:

Weddings are already banned on beaches, Ed. Photos of the bride and groom before or after are ok.

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keep up the good work PW

Posted by sharp on March 9, 2015 09:03

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Why is the Laguna based stable still able to use the beach for horse rides?

Posted by The Night Mare on March 9, 2015 09:22

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@ The Night Mare:Money for horse riding is not collected ON the beach, that's why. Comparable to somebody who rents a mountain bike somewhere and rides it on the sand.

Posted by Carl on March 9, 2015 09:41

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Such a wedding set up at a beach, under the eyes of local authorities just prove that there was council/police support for this wedding. So, what is now shocking? The wedding issue or the 'blind eyes' of local authorities?

Posted by Kurt on March 9, 2015 10:08

Editor Comment:

As most people know, Kurt, some Phuket beaches are small and were once considered ''private.'' It's no surprise.

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If the governor manages to get out of his helicopter today and actually walks the beach, he will see that they are filthy. They were clean before this insanity began last June. Why? Because the supposedly evil vendors had an incentive to clean them and did so repeatedly all day long. So what will be the wise governor's solution? Of course: lets ban cigarettes! So we will have another unenforceable rule to solve a totally self inflicted problem.

Posted by Ken Freed on March 9, 2015 10:09

Editor Comment:

Nobody said vendors were evil, only that they enriched themselves from decades of misuse of public beaches for private profit.

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Cyber/media travels global very fast today. Every single person with a iphone today is ' global media'.

Posted by Kurt on March 9, 2015 10:24

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Disgusting ! How dare anyone want to get married on a beautiful beach in Phuket, what is wrong with people ?? Don't they know the beaches are for jetskis and parasails??

How dare they invite friends to come to phuket and spend lots of money! It's a disgrace!

I am in South Beach, Miami this week and what a difference! Well organized, chairs and umbrellas available and plenty of space for people to bring their own. Jetskis for hire about every 500m which a narrow channel for them to come in and out of the beach.

Rubbish bins every 20 meters, free toilets and showers, beach cleaning every morning and evening. It's beautiful and shows what can happen when you have proper organization and half a brain.

Why anyone goes to phuket these days is an absolute mystery to me!

Posted by Discover Thainess on March 9, 2015 10:56

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@ Carl: "Riding mountain bikes on the sand" ?? Er, isn't that illegal?

Posted by Smithy on March 9, 2015 11:28

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regarding horse rides on the layang beach, i think its ok BUT BUT the company should be requested to clean the beach from the "horse apples" as they never did until now.i am jogging 3 times a week and witnessed this mess.

Posted by beach lover on March 9, 2015 11:29

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Boy it sounds like the Military slogan of bringing happiness to the people is working out really well in Phuket.

If only their was a picture of the bride and groom being led away in handcuffs
what a PR photo that would have been...

Posted by bob on March 9, 2015 13:08

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I still do not get why things like weddings can not be done with a permit. Providing income and support for the beaches. A lot of these things could provide much needed income for lifesavers for one. Maybe I am a little naive but seems obvious. A wedding will hardly damage anything. Obviously too much history and too little organisation control wise. Such a shame. Even here on the Gold Coast a beach wedding is possible, with payment to the council who controls the beaches. So much needed income not going where it should.

Posted by Davemc60 on March 9, 2015 13:29

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A new job could be helping old people off sun mats, of course it must be a job reserved for Thais. Why are so many jobs reserved for Thais, do they not like the competition?

Posted by Splendid Old Chap on March 9, 2015 14:11

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To be fair you can't turn around to traffic Police who pull you over in a developed country and make an excuse, so if weddings are banned here that is the rule, Thailand is developing so some rules are followed. People who break rules should expect punishment.

Posted by Hello on March 9, 2015 14:20

Editor Comment:

The question is, does holding an illegal wedding on a beach make the marriage unauthorised?

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I thought we had some silly restrictions on our beaches here in California, but these rules are just plain stupid! I'm glad we got married on the beach here in Santa Cruz, no problems and very beautiful. We still have our house in Rawai, and I really doubt these lame rules will have any direct impact on me, as I just ride my motorbike down, have a swim and go home to shower, but it does look really bad internationally! I'm not sure why Phuket Wan would be singled out for their coverage of this debacle, I see video coverage of the same complaints on another local news outlet. Keep up the good work Phuket Wan! Best wishes!

Posted by Jim McGowan on March 9, 2015 15:11

Editor Comment:

Thanks, Jim. We intend to ignore the local wannabe whisperer.

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They should have avoided all these issues with the beach wedding and just got married legally on jetskis.

Posted by Chris on March 9, 2015 15:23

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I have been on roadshows where the TAT has promoted Phuket as the ideal location to have your wedding, including pictures of marriages on the beach, if the powers that be issued licenses for this it can be controlled

Posted by Michael on March 9, 2015 16:07

Editor Comment:

At present it's illegal, along with hiring surf boards. But you can hire a mat and an umbrella, minus the sunbed. Or ride any one of hundreds of jet-skis. Go figure.

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Waw another horrific crime on Phuket beaches! Better ask the Jetski gangs to organise weddings.

Posted by Khun Philippe on March 9, 2015 19:18

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Ed. What you tell me about the hundreds " evening food shops " that occupy the sidewalks, anywhere on the island of Phuket? It's not even this an " occupation of public land to private interest? "

Posted by James on March 9, 2015 21:00

Editor Comment:

I don't see that many evening food shops taking public footpaths but what I find alarming and illegal are the shops that consume the footpaths permanently without local councils objecting. There are many examples of permanent seizure of public land on Phuket. It doesn't stop there. Recently a very old tree in the footpath near where I live was cut down by the local council because an apartment owner paid the council 10,000 baht to remove it. There was no consideration of the tree's value as a heritage landmark. Many Phuket councils are filled by unthinking dummies. This is why we advocate giving control of the beaches of Phuket to an independent beach authority, supported by the Royal Thai Navy. The councils are a problem. They represent the old way. The wrong way.

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Should look after the touts with animals on the beach! On Bang Tao beach, every day one with Loris,today one with Iguana.

Posted by Anonymous on March 9, 2015 22:19

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I know now the Phuket Beache's are no more public right now the real Mafia rule the Beach. don't worry the want to make the big money with all the beache's what a mess.

Posted by no summer dream on March 9, 2015 22:43

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As a suggestion why doesn't the Phuket Wan Tourism News have a Thai version?
There is a free google translation app for websites. Its not perfect but fairly ok.
Maybe no need for all the languages but it should really include Thai.

Whilst it is quite easy to order basics like a beer or chicken with rice, language issues can cause barriers and misunderstandings. And also some people may have good spoken skills but poor reading skills. A dual (or multi) language site might help to merge ideas more, and kind of integrate with the whole community.

Just a thought.

Posted by wyn on March 10, 2015 02:37

Editor Comment:

Readers are free to convert articles into any language they wish using Google Translate.

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There seems to be a huge misconception here: weddings (or other special, one-off events for that matter) on Phuket beaches are not illegal per se -- IF you have a proper company and IF you put in an written request/application (for each event) at the local OrBorTor covering the area. The OrBorTor may or may not approve your application, but again it is not illegal to hold weddings on beaches in Phuket; it's only illegal to hold weddings that have not been pre-approved by the proper gov't body. Can anyone here reference where the laws covering this have actually been changed and ratified by the Thai Parliament and/or military? I rather doubt it...

Posted by Gforcejunky on March 10, 2015 03:38

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Simple. Just get married sitting on one of the many jet skis that own the beach ! That's totally legal. Their mistake was sitting on the totally hated eye sore the humble banned chair !

Posted by Conquestador on March 10, 2015 06:03

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There will be in no way any punishment for groom and bride. There was a wedding organization setting up the wedding scene. Local authorities failed to stop the building up of the wedding set. As 'rules' on Phuket are practically different from beach to beach ( depend on different councils)you marriage couple can fight successful any 'punishment' ( read: tea money without bill).
RULES ARE NOT LAWS!
To punish according laws take years in Thailand ( airport occupations in 2008, yes?).

Posted by Kurt on March 10, 2015 11:35

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Well, Phuketwan last article: Weddings at karon beach ok as local authorities there think their way about 'rules', underlines my saying that rules are not laws. And in Phuket it means " up to the councils". Province of councils freedom. Welcome.

Posted by Kurt on March 10, 2015 11:54


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