PHUKET: Some of Phuket's most famous resorts have been held to ransom for years by private individuals who claimed rights to the beautiful west coast beaches.
Club Med Phuket, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket have been named - but not by police - as being among Phuket resorts that paid millions of baht to individuals for the use of sunbeds.
The maps in the photo album accompanying this article show how some of Phuket best-known beaches were divided among sunbed and umbrella operators, with the color-coded charts showing how some families took control of large portions of the public beaches.
Major General Paween Pongsirin said today that Patong and Karon were the beaches where local officials were most heavily involved with the activities of the beach sunbed operators and the taxis and tuk-tuks.
In some cases, the major general said, the resorts were squeezed by both sets of ''mafia'' and the taxi drivers and the beach vendors often exchanged information about their experiences.
''Our operation marks the end of an era,'' Major General Paween said today, ''the end of the era of private beaches on Phuket and their replacement with public beaches.''
He said that while there were similar problems at some other beaches, Patong and Kata-Karon on Phuket's west coast were the two areas where the authorities worked with the beach operators.
Fifteen people were issued with arrest warrants yesterday to add to more than 180 taxi drivers and officials who have been arrested and charged since the actions began to clear Phuket's beaches and end taxi drivers' threats and intimidation.
Club Med Phuket, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket have been named - but not by police - as being among Phuket resorts that paid millions of baht to individuals for the use of sunbeds.
The maps in the photo album accompanying this article show how some of Phuket best-known beaches were divided among sunbed and umbrella operators, with the color-coded charts showing how some families took control of large portions of the public beaches.
Major General Paween Pongsirin said today that Patong and Karon were the beaches where local officials were most heavily involved with the activities of the beach sunbed operators and the taxis and tuk-tuks.
In some cases, the major general said, the resorts were squeezed by both sets of ''mafia'' and the taxi drivers and the beach vendors often exchanged information about their experiences.
''Our operation marks the end of an era,'' Major General Paween said today, ''the end of the era of private beaches on Phuket and their replacement with public beaches.''
He said that while there were similar problems at some other beaches, Patong and Kata-Karon on Phuket's west coast were the two areas where the authorities worked with the beach operators.
Fifteen people were issued with arrest warrants yesterday to add to more than 180 taxi drivers and officials who have been arrested and charged since the actions began to clear Phuket's beaches and end taxi drivers' threats and intimidation.
I hope they get proper sentences not like the taxi drivers who has suspended sentences, and be made to pay money back, all there assets should be seized and maybe some money can go to the lifeguards or to start a proper beach authority
Posted by Michael on September 26, 2014 19:34
Editor Comment:
Taxi drivers behind the wheel in illegal cabs don't deserve jail or losing their assets (if they have any). Those involved in intimidation and extortion are clearly in a different category. I'd suggest you'd be wise to maintain logic and balance. Baying with the mob is easy.