PHUKET: Patong appeared to be displeased. As the Commander-in-Chief of The Royal Thai Navy, Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, arrived in beach road yesterday, the rains came.
Then just before his car pulled up at the Soi Bangla intersection, a Bangla transponder blew, loudly. That was the signal from above.
The Goddess of Go-Go Girls and Ping-Pong Touts dumped a heavy downpour on the coup command's parade. The satyrs who oversee the sunbeds may have had something to do with it, too.
Scores of resort staff who had lined up with flowers to thank the second most senior man in the National Council for Peace and Order for bringing happiness and contentment to Patong and its beach broke ranks and pressed forward.
There was a crush of bodies and brollies around the car. The rain pelted down. The Mayor of Patong, Chalermlak Kebsub, was in there somewhere, lost among the wet roses and smiles.
Phuketwan opted to stay dry but a soggy second-hand report emerged. The admiral's door opened a crack and in that instant he said: ''Now the beach areas are as beautiful and natural as they used to be and tourists and Phuket residents are pleased with them and want to keep it this way forever.
''I must ask Phuket people to help keep the beaches free of encroaching structures as long as possible.''
Then the crack vanished and the car was gone. Everyone had a good laugh and sped to find a dry spot.
Patong, we do understand what you were saying.
Among the unhappiest of all at the admiral's suitably fleeting visit was Patong beach vendor number 4, Cholnapat Dasanthad, 45, perhaps the shortest and most memorable sales person on the sands.
Before the admiral arrived, she and her colleagues had been sweeping the sand clean and making the area around the police box as neat as possible.
She and the other yellow-jacket vendors had been waiting and were keen to tell the admiral what they thought of losing their jobs.
Khun Cholnapat spotted Phuketwan and gave us the benefit of her speech for the admiral:
''We can't sell stuff now. I used to make 1000 baht a day but today it was 100 baht. I bought a bag of ice for 80 baht, which means all I have to show for today is 20 baht.''
Khun Cholnapat, who wiped away a tear when she met the mayor on an earlier tour of the beachfront, continued: ''Now that the tourists don't have beach chairs, who takes care of their stuff?
''We always made sure their gear was safe. Now the tourists just bring a towel, go for a swim and then go back to eat and drink at their resorts.''
What Khun Cholnapat said was true. All along Patong beach were individuals or groups sitting on towels. Others were walking, because there was space to walk.
Laid-back beachgoers on sunbeds were nowhere to be seen. Come to think of it, not a single jet-ski was skimming about either.
How is it that the operators and their controversial vehicles vanish as if on cue?
Perhaps their affinity with the spirits is so close that they are able to predict whenever rain is going to fall on Patong's parade.
Then just before his car pulled up at the Soi Bangla intersection, a Bangla transponder blew, loudly. That was the signal from above.
The Goddess of Go-Go Girls and Ping-Pong Touts dumped a heavy downpour on the coup command's parade. The satyrs who oversee the sunbeds may have had something to do with it, too.
Scores of resort staff who had lined up with flowers to thank the second most senior man in the National Council for Peace and Order for bringing happiness and contentment to Patong and its beach broke ranks and pressed forward.
There was a crush of bodies and brollies around the car. The rain pelted down. The Mayor of Patong, Chalermlak Kebsub, was in there somewhere, lost among the wet roses and smiles.
Phuketwan opted to stay dry but a soggy second-hand report emerged. The admiral's door opened a crack and in that instant he said: ''Now the beach areas are as beautiful and natural as they used to be and tourists and Phuket residents are pleased with them and want to keep it this way forever.
''I must ask Phuket people to help keep the beaches free of encroaching structures as long as possible.''
Then the crack vanished and the car was gone. Everyone had a good laugh and sped to find a dry spot.
Patong, we do understand what you were saying.
Among the unhappiest of all at the admiral's suitably fleeting visit was Patong beach vendor number 4, Cholnapat Dasanthad, 45, perhaps the shortest and most memorable sales person on the sands.
Before the admiral arrived, she and her colleagues had been sweeping the sand clean and making the area around the police box as neat as possible.
She and the other yellow-jacket vendors had been waiting and were keen to tell the admiral what they thought of losing their jobs.
Khun Cholnapat spotted Phuketwan and gave us the benefit of her speech for the admiral:
''We can't sell stuff now. I used to make 1000 baht a day but today it was 100 baht. I bought a bag of ice for 80 baht, which means all I have to show for today is 20 baht.''
Khun Cholnapat, who wiped away a tear when she met the mayor on an earlier tour of the beachfront, continued: ''Now that the tourists don't have beach chairs, who takes care of their stuff?
''We always made sure their gear was safe. Now the tourists just bring a towel, go for a swim and then go back to eat and drink at their resorts.''
What Khun Cholnapat said was true. All along Patong beach were individuals or groups sitting on towels. Others were walking, because there was space to walk.
Laid-back beachgoers on sunbeds were nowhere to be seen. Come to think of it, not a single jet-ski was skimming about either.
How is it that the operators and their controversial vehicles vanish as if on cue?
Perhaps their affinity with the spirits is so close that they are able to predict whenever rain is going to fall on Patong's parade.
I was there as well, the transformer going pop nearly gave me a heart attack
to be fair, with the state of the sea and the grey skies and heavy rain, even if there were still loungers around I don't think the vendors would have sold much - this was a weather issue not a lack of somewhere to sit issue.
Having said that, I actually think one line of chairs run legally, with taxes and social security paid up, so a share of profits goes to schools, fire engines etc would be acceptable. Jet skis, para sails and the aggressive behaviour of the previous operators was the issue.
At surin the beach clubs are now putting out bean bags where their structures have been removed , I shall be off to buy a couple of beanbags for myself soon for Patong beach :-)
Posted by Amazing Thailand on July 15, 2014 08:41