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One of the receipts for beach access now being handed to Phuket tourists

Channel 7 Charging Fee for Access to Phuket's Popular Laem Singh Beach

Saturday, December 26, 2015
PHUKET: Receipts are now being issued for a fee to access one of Phuket's most popular beaches.

Sun-loving tourists are being charged 20 baht to descend to the secluded arc of sand at Laem Sing beach, which lies between Surin and Kamala beaches on the west coast of the Thai holiday island.

The land bordering the beach is owned by Bangkok Broadcasting Television Channel 7, which is named in the receipt.

A spokesperson for the television channel - one of the country's most popular outlets - was not available for comment today.

But it is believed the cash will be used to maintain the steep set of steps that lead down to the beach.

Once perhaps the most idyllic beach on an island with several world-class beaches, it was possible in the early part of the century to swim at Laem Singh and not see any buildings, except for a couple of small illegal beach restaurants.

Popularity brought a huge privately owned villa to a nearby headland and authorities lopped many trees, exposing the coast road to view for the first time.

In recent years, more restaurants arrived, extending further onto the sand and blaring funky music. Illegal jet-skis became regulars, too.

People parking cars and motorcycles on land above the beach were charged 20 baht to park.

It's not clear whether those fees were being charged by the landowner, by a local council or by a freelance entrepreneur.

The land backing Laem Singh is probably too steep to hold a resort but some remarkable feats of engineering are now being performed along the rapidly developing west coast.

Nearly all the beach restaurants at Laem Singh disappeared during the military clearance of commerce from Phuket's beaches last year.

Comments

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Yes we discovered that last week! I hope they use some of the money they are charging to clean up the trash lying between the beach and the road....I won't be going back again....

Posted by Marnn on December 26, 2015 11:58

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Sounds like somebody is charging money just because they can. Is there anything left in the world that somebody hasn't put a price tag or tax on??

Posted by Arun Muruga on December 26, 2015 12:26

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One has to give me money I would not stay there a single minute.
This beach has lost all its charm completely.

A few days ago I have been there, approached from the sea by my little kayak. The whole beach was dominated by 6 jetskis, used by Arabs or Frenchs.

What a hell of noise in the small bay, not only from the machine itself but also by the users who were hanging around in the shallow water and shouting at each other.

On the other side, the beach-goers there are of the kind that do not interfere with it.

No idea if is every day like this, but it was one of my worst beach experiences ever.

Posted by Georg The Viking on December 26, 2015 16:10

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In the 4 years I spent here so far I went only once to this beach last year and it was quite exactly as Georg The Viking described it. I don't plan to ever visit this beach again.

Posted by Jakub P. on December 26, 2015 17:35

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6 years ago I used to love this beach

Posted by J on December 26, 2015 21:47

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Sure beats paying between 500 and 1500 baht to access paradise beach now.

Posted by Anonymous on December 27, 2015 05:24

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I stopped my visits to Laem Singh when the road over the hill between Patong and Kamala was paved. Too many people dared to master the hill, and L.S. became unattractive. Sometimes I dream of the early 90's, but that is another story.

Posted by Beer Chang on December 27, 2015 12:03

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I used to go to Paradise beach almost daily for a meal and swim and in those days it was cheap. I think a fried rice was 50 baht. Now you have to pay to go there? The whole island has been ruined by rent seekers and money chasers

Posted by Arun Muruga on December 27, 2015 12:23


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