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Tourists may not enjoy being approached by men in uniform on Phuket

Raid at Popular Phuket Beach Exposes Flaws in Enforcing New Rules

Thursday, September 3, 2015
PHUKET: A crackdown by the Royal Thai Navy and other officials along a Phuket beach today exposed continuing problems with the island governor's plan to compromise the military's ban on commercial activity on the sand.

Complaints are believed to have come from former vendors who feel left outside Governor Nisit Jansomwong's ''10 percent zone'' experiment.

Tourists were asked today at Phuket's Kata beach whether the chairs they were on had been hired or whether they'd bought their own. They were also told that alcohol was banned on all of Phuket's beaches.

The sweep along Kata beach by the Navy's Captain Borwarn Promdawnga and about 20 other local police and Kata-Karon council officials proved just how difficult it will be to enforce tany regulations along Phuket's tourist west coast when the high season from November brings visitors in much greater numbers.

Today at Kata beach, the swoop found three tents set up that were not in the local council's ''10 percent zone'' plan.

Large signs were not on the shorefront explaining the complicated ''10 percent'' arrangement - the council had taken the signs down for safety to avoid the high winds of the monsoon season.

Tourists are not likely to read the signs anyway. There were visitors at Kata today who had to be told that drinking beer or other alcohol was banned.

Vendors were found along the beach selling alcohol from coolers.

It also became plain at Kata today that local vendors who were once able to operate on the beach will continue to fight with other vendors who have been fortunate enough to become part of Governor Nisit's ''10 percent zone'' scheme.

As long as there is commerce on the beaches under the ''10 percent zone,'' there will be competition for sales.

A surfboard hirer operating outside the zone was told today that he would have to register and move within the zone, even though he made the point that his business is a monsoon season business that does not operate during the tranquil high season.

Many critics have pointed out that scores of jet-skis are being permitted to continue to operate on Phuket's beaches but non-polluting surfboard hirers are banned unless they become part of the ''10 percent zone'' system.

The struggle for vendors to win back their old income source is going to continue through the coming high season from November to April, and beyond.

Enforcing the beach regulations will become a daily necessity.

Yet the chaos at Phuket's Patong beach already shows to the satisfaction of Phuketwan that any compromise proposal along the lines of the governor's ''10 percent zone'' scheme makes enforcement extremely difficult.

Without an Army - or a Navy - of enforcers, the experiment cannot work at Phuket's most popular beaches.

Tourists did discover today, however, that if they bring their own beach chairs, there's no problem.

Phuketwan believes all commerce should be banned from Phuket beaches, including jet-skis, but tourists should be allowed to bring their own umbrellas, sunbeds or chairs and other equipment.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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No beer on the beaches? There goes the Aussie market. Seriously though it just gets worse and the high season is only a couple of months away. Someone needs to step up. I assume that needs to be the Governor

Posted by Davemc60 on September 4, 2015 04:15

Editor Comment:

Alcohol is certainly likely to be banned.

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"... to enforce tany regulations .."

I assume that is a typo and is meant to read "many regulations".

Posted by Hugh on September 4, 2015 08:03

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Phuket needs an Elected official - not someone who was "appointed" to Phuket.

Posted by Tbs on September 4, 2015 08:19

Editor Comment:

It's the elected officials who cannot control their money-hungry voters, Tbs.

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Just proves what we all know:

1. Compromise doesn't work
2. The current authorities are clueless

Posted by Discover Thainess on September 4, 2015 08:20

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I think that a lot that is happening to Phuket is a crying shame. The tuk tuk/taxi situation, many years ago, was the first sign of the demise, not helped by the jet ski problem.
We used to have a 5 minute stroll to the beach where we were looked after all day by the guy who rented us a comfortable sunbed/umbrella, and brought beers/snacks on demand. (following an accident I do not want to lie on the ground)
There were some great "shanty" style resteraunts just off the beach for lunch serving great food.In other words, a great days holiday.
All this has now gone, to my wife and I, a tragedy and gives us no reason now to spend our four week break there.

(sure the Editor will be heartbroken! Enjoy your Chinese package tourists.)

Posted by Chaz on September 4, 2015 08:54

Editor Comment:

Hankering for the past is taking your eye off the future, Chaz. Phuket still gives good holiday. Maybe you're just too nostalgic to enjoy it.

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And why the Lifeguard in Kata rent out surfboard ? I never se one singel lifeguard in the tower, for the last 2 year on Kata. And can the Lifeguard have a business on the beach.

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on September 4, 2015 09:23

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Follow the Khaolak model. It clearly works up here.

Lovely beaches - laws followed - no jet skis.

Posted by Ciaran on September 4, 2015 09:44

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Nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia.

I hanker for the days when you could travel the length of this island in 1 hour - yesterday it took the VIP bus 1 & 1/2 hours to get from Sarasin Bridge to bus station 2 - then another 1+ hours to get from there to Karon on a motor bike taxi - & this is low season.

It would be nice to see some scenery - not the wall to wall billboards evident at the police check point coming onto the island & the length of the airport road down to Phuket Town.

The island has lost a lot of its attraction. Still uncontrolled building & ever increasing problems with water shortages & rubbish & sewage disposal.

Nostalgia - yes!

Posted by Logic on September 4, 2015 11:23

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Rules, rules, regulations. Army uniform on the beaches.
Thai phuket government should rule and regulate thai beach vendors, Jet ski- , and parasail operators. Not tourists.

It seems hard to get in the heads of the Phuket officials to realize that tourists are the rice bowl for Phuket.
Tourism is service industry. Don't bite the hand who is feeding you!
Officially there are about 320,000 thousand thai people living on Phuket Based on that are the government hositals just having a few doctors). In reality are there more than 2 million thai people (mossly unregistrated and paying taxes) on Phuket. They all eat and 'feed family' with the money earned from tourists. Asl Phuket Governor: How many thai people now live and work this moment on Phuket? He can not answer you. That is the Phuket problem. Not the tourists who come here to relax on the beach with yes/no a alcoholic drink, sitting on their own chair.
Phuket authorities make themselves masters in avoiding to address the real beach problems. That are: dirty water (Patong = 'poop beach' because of the release of untreated water, included human faeces, by pipeline and canal into a 'horse shoe bay'. The un safety as patong beach has been taken over by jet skies.
In that framework of thinking it looks hilarious to see army uniforms at beaches to 'correct' tourists.

Posted by Kurt on September 4, 2015 12:58

Editor Comment:

In reality, there are perhaps one million people on Phuket during the high season, Kurt. Your guesswork is a problem.

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For most people a holiday is all about relaxing, not having to worry about anything.

Being faced with cryptic rules nobody seems to be able to agree on how to enforce and then have armed military and police on the beach telling you what you can or cannot do is really NOT relaxing at all.

Unless of course you enjoy being treated like cattle.

Tourists are not blind. They can see how the jet-ski and parasail operators are simply ignored but they are being hassled for the origins of their beach chairs.

This is blatantly unjust and will not go unnoticed.

There are so many factors that make the tourists feel unwelcome. Nobody wants to feel only their money, not their presence is appreciated.

What is needed is a collapse in arriving tourist numbers. As long as locals can get away with treating tourists with such disrespect and disdain, there will be no incentive to change the ways.

No amount of talks, reasoning or logic will make one iota of difference. ONLY loss of income will.

Posted by Herbert on September 4, 2015 16:07

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No beer, no beds = no tourists.
Tap, tap another nail goes in the tourist coffin.

Posted by Anonymous on September 4, 2015 16:12

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Why do they have to be in full military fatigues ? Why not dress in the Hawian type shirts the immigration officers now wear when you leave Phuket airport ? It looks far more friendly.

Posted by Conquestador on September 4, 2015 16:56

Editor Comment:

The white Navy dress uniforms are perfect. No tourist would feel offended if approached by an officer dressed to charm and persuade.

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Seems pretty weird to ban alcohol on beaches for a tourist destination. I lived in Phuket for 8 years and it is now a place full of cheap Chinese from regional China on the many flights who are loud and rude and move around in busses pumping out black smoke. What really gets me in the greed of the locals they think it is ok to keep your house deposit etc and just abuse foreigner's money. That's part of the reason I left and the place is so quiet, it's all about greed.

Posted by Welcome to Paradise on September 4, 2015 18:48

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@ Editor, You photos with this article not show army personal in camouflage fighting dress " with charm". Look at the faces of the tourists, they are speechless, and the removing of the notifying bill boards is not supporting the authority intentions. It is all 'thainess'.

Posted by Kurt on September 4, 2015 20:10

Editor Comment:

If you can tell what people are thinking from a photograph, Kurt, you deserve to be Pope. I would suggest that any photograph only captures a fraction of a moment. I am proposing a different approach. You, as usual, have no suggestions, only put-downs. Please provide one single comment that actually adds value. Prove you're not a bigot.

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@ Editor, you mentioned I was guessing about how many people are on Phuket island during high season.
You said: 'Perhaps' one million, that is guess work too, is itn't? That is the mainpoint, You don't know, the governor doesn't know. High season on Phuket is 300,000 registrated thai inhabitants + all the thai workers who kept registration in home towns + all the thousands of tourist ( many of them in guesthouses who do not report 100% guests, they play with the guestbook, and put part of tourist tax in own pocket. If police checks, than the 'mistunderstanding' will be ironed with tea money.) And the Governor, oh dear, he already feels tired by the thought to look after this. He already refuse to handle jet skies, same as that chief of Bureau 5 who has to enforce that jet skies ( his words in your newspaper) are not allowed on the sand. This is Phuket, this is thainess, Phuket is for the thai ( their way) not for the tourists). Tourist are the biggest problem' for Phuket authorities, tourist disturb.

Posted by Kurt on September 4, 2015 20:27

Editor Comment:

The airport figures are a good guide as to how many people are on Phuket at any time, Kurt. We work it out as accurately as possible and the figure of two million is way, way off. Accurate figures are vital for sensible forward planning and of course, on Phuket, nobody supplies any.

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In the name of god: STOP ALL THE STUPID RULES!!!!!
I've heard from many people, that they dont want to come to Pkuket anymore because of the messing sunbeds and umbrellas.
I was in Krabi a year ago, and was unable to lay on the beach because of a damage shoulder- and no chairs. For many people it is not possible to lay flat down on the ground! For many tourists, sunbathing is the primary goal on a Holiday. Think about it!

Posted by Merete on September 4, 2015 20:48

Editor Comment:

We thought about it and decided we should save them from their bad habits, Merete.

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"When wealth rules, democracy dies."

Posted by Robin on September 5, 2015 02:31

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@ Bjorn Ronningen: If as you say you havent seen any life guards in the tower at Kata for the last 2 years you must be blind.
Also, tell the RTN to visit Nai Harn.

Posted by Chalongresident on September 5, 2015 21:24

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I was having a sunset drink yesterday by the Impiana and counted 15 jet skis loaded up and leaving the beach at the end of the day. I have to imagine that there were more at the other end of the beach. Perhaps we should rename the beach "Patong Jet Ski Beach".

Posted by d_singapore on September 6, 2015 08:17

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Moved to Phuket in August 2014 and move back home in July 2015...I've never lived in place that made me feel so unsafe and unwelcomed. This whole beach chair/10% rule thing has been going on all year long...with officials constantly changing what they say and contradicting themselves. Almost every time I rode my motorbike out of Kamala I got stopped at the checkpoints and frisked like I'm a criminal. Almost every other day I heard news of horrific accidents on the roads and witness several myself every other week. Thai people are very "friendly"...land of smiles...YEAH RIGHT. Greedy, backstabbing, corrupt, xenophobic. The last time I flew out of Phuket airport, one of the immigration officials told me that "money is GOD" ??? enough said.

Posted by Chuck on September 6, 2015 09:12

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Chuck,
money is god to everyone.Its just that everyone just wants a bigger god and when they have enough they pretend its no longer important, join a do gooder association and complain about the those who have more than the themselves.

Posted by MoW on September 6, 2015 10:17

Editor Comment:

Those who see money as a God are fools, MoW.


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