PHUKET: Governor Jamleran Tipayapongtada headed for the headstrong vendors of Kamala beach today as the countdown to Phuket's high season entered its final week.
Of all the beaches on Phuket, Kamala is regarded as the one where local vendors have yet to form a cooperative, and where restaurants and salespeople still operate on the beach - even though Kamala Police Station is just metres from the sand.
Today's special visit signifies the importance the governor places in getting the beach rules right.
A long time has passed since sunbeds and umbrellas, along with shorefront restaurants and beach clubs, were cleared from the sands soon after the military took charge in Thailand in May last year.
Governor Jamleran, who grew up on Phuket, told a large beach meeting this week that he remembers going to all 18 of the island's beaches as a boy scout.
''I went to every beach when I was young,'' he said. ''Now that they have been cleared of commerce, the beaches look almost as good as they did back then.''
The governor recognises that each of Phuket's beaches has a different character and he will be doing his best to preserve the beauty of them for future generations in the next week.
How the ''10 percent zone'' rule is interpreted will be the key - although in Phuketwan's view, the ''10 percent zone'' is likely to be impossible to properly enforce.
Kata-Karon, for example, interprets the ''10 percent zone'' to mean a section running along the back of entire beaches, at high tide or low tide.
All of the problems in preserving Phuket's beaches can be attributed to the interpretation of rules by the local councils - which is why Phuketwan supports the finding of researchers from Prince of Songkhla University who say an independent committee should be given control.
The ''10 percent zone'' could work at less popular beaches but there's little hope of it holding at Patong, Kamala, Kata, Surin and Nai Harn once the high season crowds arrive.
To not allow tourists to bring their own umbrellas and chairs, or to restrict them to the ''10 percent zone'' will be a cause of constant friction.
Police do not want to have to take chairs from under elderly tourists.
Anyone who proposes that tourists must only sit on their chairs within the 10 percent zone should be asked to enforce that rule.
Beaches all around the world look just a beautiful with a smattering of BYO umbrellas. And in many places, small foldup beach tents are now being used to shade children from the sun.
If the governor really does want Phuket to lift to international standards, then the beaches that he loves are a good place to start.
It's the illegal vendors who are the cause of the problem, not the visitors.
As the governor noted this week at the Phuket Provincial Hall meeting: ''The vendors must prove their quality. If you are not up to the right quality, we will not approve you.''
Inspections are to be made over three days from Monday of all 18 Phuket beaches, with the final policy to be locked in before next Sunday, when the high season begins.
Of all the beaches on Phuket, Kamala is regarded as the one where local vendors have yet to form a cooperative, and where restaurants and salespeople still operate on the beach - even though Kamala Police Station is just metres from the sand.
Today's special visit signifies the importance the governor places in getting the beach rules right.
A long time has passed since sunbeds and umbrellas, along with shorefront restaurants and beach clubs, were cleared from the sands soon after the military took charge in Thailand in May last year.
Governor Jamleran, who grew up on Phuket, told a large beach meeting this week that he remembers going to all 18 of the island's beaches as a boy scout.
''I went to every beach when I was young,'' he said. ''Now that they have been cleared of commerce, the beaches look almost as good as they did back then.''
The governor recognises that each of Phuket's beaches has a different character and he will be doing his best to preserve the beauty of them for future generations in the next week.
How the ''10 percent zone'' rule is interpreted will be the key - although in Phuketwan's view, the ''10 percent zone'' is likely to be impossible to properly enforce.
Kata-Karon, for example, interprets the ''10 percent zone'' to mean a section running along the back of entire beaches, at high tide or low tide.
All of the problems in preserving Phuket's beaches can be attributed to the interpretation of rules by the local councils - which is why Phuketwan supports the finding of researchers from Prince of Songkhla University who say an independent committee should be given control.
The ''10 percent zone'' could work at less popular beaches but there's little hope of it holding at Patong, Kamala, Kata, Surin and Nai Harn once the high season crowds arrive.
To not allow tourists to bring their own umbrellas and chairs, or to restrict them to the ''10 percent zone'' will be a cause of constant friction.
Police do not want to have to take chairs from under elderly tourists.
Anyone who proposes that tourists must only sit on their chairs within the 10 percent zone should be asked to enforce that rule.
Beaches all around the world look just a beautiful with a smattering of BYO umbrellas. And in many places, small foldup beach tents are now being used to shade children from the sun.
If the governor really does want Phuket to lift to international standards, then the beaches that he loves are a good place to start.
It's the illegal vendors who are the cause of the problem, not the visitors.
As the governor noted this week at the Phuket Provincial Hall meeting: ''The vendors must prove their quality. If you are not up to the right quality, we will not approve you.''
Inspections are to be made over three days from Monday of all 18 Phuket beaches, with the final policy to be locked in before next Sunday, when the high season begins.
So Patong beach looks just the same as when he was a boy?
Yeah right.
Did he have his eyes closed when visited then?
Posted by rich on October 24, 2015 13:11
Editor Comment:
Perhaps there's something wrong with your eyesight, not the governor's, rich.
The governor said: ''Now that they have been cleared of commerce, the beaches look almost as good as they did back then.''
''Almost as good as they did back then.'' Not ''just the same as when he was a boy.''
Get 'em checked, rich.