Updating Report, News Analysis, Photo Album
PHUKET: Phuket police and Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha joined other officers to remove restaurants from Karon beach today in a predawn raid that involved scores of people and machinery.
Later Governor Tri told Phuketwan on the beach that similar action will follow at Bang Tao and Surin.
His comment came after the owner of one restaurant, who has been operating on the beach at Karon for 25 years, cried ''Unfair'' and asked why his and other restaurants had been targetted when other beaches still have restaurants on them.
The exercise in removing the restaurants today was led by Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong.
To have Phuket's Governor and other senior authorities there indicates the extremely high level of concern. Phuketwan understands it was the first time a particular law governing this situation had been used on Phuket.
''I don't know why they choose to operate and close us like this,'' said Khun Daeng, ''owner'' of the oldest of the restaurants.
His brother Lek, who has the largest of the restaurants, said he had been tipped off by a friend in Bangkok last night that the raid was going to take place at dawn.
The three restaurants - run by three brothers - formed a pod on the sand in front of the five-star Centara Grand Resort, which opened last year.
Governor Tri added that complaints had been made to the Interior Ministry about the Karon beach restaurants.
Tourists from Centara Grand looked on today as the restaurants disappeared. ''I will miss the waitresses at Lek's,'' one woman visitor said. ''The food and the prices were good, too.''
Today's raid brings into sharp focus the issue of beach encroachment and lack of consistent enforcement over decades.
The three brothers, Lek, Daeng and Dam Pongkratin, were escorted to the Chalong police station to have detailed statements taken.
A family friend said they had been told they would have to pay the 100,000 baht cost of today's operation. The concrete toilet and a separate kitchen in a concrete building were demolished today.
Phuketwan has been calling for a single authority to save all of Phuket's beaches from encroachment and environmental damage.
The issue reared again earlier this week with an aborted raid on the Pla Seafood restaurant at Surin beach, where one authority came prepared to remove chairs, tables, palm trees and barriers on the beach.
Another local authority interceded and the restaurant was allowed to continue to operate.
Once restaurants are allowed to operate for any length of time on a Phuket beach, it becomes more difficult to remove them - unless, like Khun Daeng on Karon beach, they have not made special arrangements with local authorities.
The issue of encroachment and lack of consistent application of present laws has led to illegal restaurants becoming a feature at popular beaches virtually all along Phuket's holiday west coast.
Central to the dilemma is that some people see public beaches as owned by everyone and as such anyone can start a business there.
Environmentalists look at it differently, making the point that Phuket beaches are certainly for everyone - but they will only remain for everyone if kept in their natural state, free from commercial enterprises.
The quandary is that while most western tourists understand the issue and want the environment protected, many of them also enjoy the pleasure of eating on a beautiful beach. They can't have it both ways.
And the money? The money, of course, all goes to the largest or most successful of the restaurants, and their supporters.
UPDATE Officials from one local authority have tried to remove a restaurant from a popular Phuket beach while officials from another authority apparently can explain how it came to be there.
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Latest A dispute involving two beach restaurants outside a big new resort has attracted more interest from senior officials, with one of the restaurateurs seeking a land ownership investigation.
Phuket Officials Promise 'Fairness' in Beach Battle
Planet Phuket: Save the Beaches from Bad Water, Greed and Self-Interest
Phuketwan Opinion Phuket's beaches will continue to disappear beneath restaurant tables, loungers, bad water and selfishness unless action is taken quickly.
Planet Phuket: Save the Beaches from Bad Water, Greed and Self-Interest
Why only in front Centara? think...who owns Centara...one of the biggest, wealthiest and most influential business groups in Thailand. When they don't like something, they just apply a little pressure and whatever needed.
Posted by Henry on September 18, 2011 10:15
Editor Comment:
Hmmm . . . nice if your theory worked with local taxis and tuk-tuks. How come?