Updating All Day, Every Day
MANAGERS at the five-star Surin Resort told a patrol of local officials and military today that they will remove sunbeds from Pansea beach before 2pm today.
Original Report
PHUKET: Authorities are raiding a five-star resort today after Phuket residents posted photographs showing sunbeds on the small beach in front of the resort.
Local officials will remind the resort's management team that all beaches in Thailand are public, even if some brochures misleadingly describe the beaches in front of some resorts as ''private.''
The question of access by the public to some of Phuket's smaller ''private'' beaches, backed by resorts, is likely to be raised in coming days by residents.
Phuket's top officials met at Phuket Provincial Hall today and agreed that all Phuket beaches will be patrolled by teams composed of Navy and Army personnel, local police and municipal officers.
The beach patrols will enforce the regulation banning sunbeds and commercial activity. Those at popular beaches such as Patong, Kamala, Surin, Karon and Kata are likely to be kept busy.
It's not yet clear whether patrols will be made regularly at the ''private'' beaches, where conflicts between outsiders who arrive by boat and resort staff could develop.
Just a few years ago, a new Phuket governor who had just arrived on the island and was taking a stroll was ordered off a ''private'' beach by a security guard.
That's not likely to happen again soon. But questions are now being asked about access to Phuket's smaller beaches, most of which have been backed by exclusive five-star resorts for many years.
Even if a resort has trucked in sand to create its own beach, the beach is public.
The Mayor of Cherng Talay, Ma-Ann Samran, said today that residents posted photographs on Facebook showing sunbeds on a public beach in front of one of the resorts in his area, so he was obliged to visit the resort today and explain that all beaches are public, and no sunbeds are allowed on any beaches.
Resorts along Phuket's west coast shorefronts say they are already experiencing some cancellations from regular guests who enjoy lying on sunbeds, under umbrellas.
All sunbeds on Phuket's popular and ''private'' beaches have been cleared and are now banned, along with beach vendors.
At the smaller, secluded beaches, increasing security concerns mean that where once some resorts allowed limited access to outsiders, only those who arrive by water are now able to reach the public beaches.
Some resorts do offer day passes to visitors so they can use the beaches and facilities and have lunch, but at a price.
What about Nui beach between Kata Noi and Nai Harn, they still charge you 200 baht to go there and when I went past by boat the other day they still had loungers on the beach.
Posted by Michael on October 24, 2014 10:46