PHUKET: Beachlovers bringing their own equipment to some of Phuket's favorite beaches will only be able to stay in the ''10 percent zone,'' Mayor Ma-Ann Samran said yesterday.
Beaches affected by this rule in Mayor Ma-Ann's Cherng Talay area include Bang Tao, Laypang and Surin - and probably all popular west coast tourist beaches.
Mayor Ma-Ann told Phuketwan that he believed the ''10 percent zone'' rule, a compromise to keep some vendors content, is against the law and confusing.
Despite misgivings, he was obliged to introduce it and enforce it.
''The beach arrangements are very difficult for authorities to implement and the 10 percent rule is unclear and does not benefit tourism,'' he said.
''If the Governor wants the 10 percent rule then it should be for the tourists only, not businesses. Tourists can sit on the beach anywhere, but if they want to use umbrellas or chairs then they must go to the 10 percent area.
''No business should operate in the 10 percent area.''
Mayor Ma-Ann said his main concern about the ''10 percent zone'' rule was its confusing nature and the many different interpretations still being discussed with the holiday island's premium high season beginning on November 1.
''The police, the military, the governor and the council have different ideas on what the 10 percent rule means,'' Mayor Ma-Ann said.
''Tourists need information on what they can, and can't do. We need to be clear on what 10 percent means. Phuket has to agree on this.''
Mayor Ma-Ann said he continued to urge Governor Jamleran Tipayapongtada to be strong enough to clean up the beaches and not have any business conducted on the beach.
Earlier this year, Mayor Ma-Ann ordered no business to be to conducted on Laypang beach.
Mayor Ma-Ann said he believed about 60 percent of workers who previously worked on the beaches now had new jobs. He urged hotel owners in Bang Tao and Laypang to help the others to find new jobs off public beach areas.
A decision on the way forward at Phuket's beaches has been in doubt since the military took charge in Thailand and ordered all illegal commerce cleared from public space along the sands and foreshores.
At that time, the strangest decision was a total ban on sunbeds and beach chairs, leaving veteran European visitors who have been visiting Phuket for decades, to make do with mats at sand level.
Tourists were also banned from bringing their own sunbeds, beach chairs and umbrellas, with former Governor Nisit Jansomwong declaring that only 10 percent of each beach could be used for umbrellas, mats and commercial activities.
With the confusing policy on sunbeds and umbrellas still unresolved, and all restaurants and beach clubs on the shorefront at Surin beach likely to be bulldozed by early next year, tourists are likely to react - either favorably or unfavorably - to the changes.
Meetings to discuss beaches in other districts on Phuket are scheduled for today and tomorrow. A final decision about Phuket's beach rules is expected on Friday.
Beaches affected by this rule in Mayor Ma-Ann's Cherng Talay area include Bang Tao, Laypang and Surin - and probably all popular west coast tourist beaches.
Mayor Ma-Ann told Phuketwan that he believed the ''10 percent zone'' rule, a compromise to keep some vendors content, is against the law and confusing.
Despite misgivings, he was obliged to introduce it and enforce it.
''The beach arrangements are very difficult for authorities to implement and the 10 percent rule is unclear and does not benefit tourism,'' he said.
''If the Governor wants the 10 percent rule then it should be for the tourists only, not businesses. Tourists can sit on the beach anywhere, but if they want to use umbrellas or chairs then they must go to the 10 percent area.
''No business should operate in the 10 percent area.''
Mayor Ma-Ann said his main concern about the ''10 percent zone'' rule was its confusing nature and the many different interpretations still being discussed with the holiday island's premium high season beginning on November 1.
''The police, the military, the governor and the council have different ideas on what the 10 percent rule means,'' Mayor Ma-Ann said.
''Tourists need information on what they can, and can't do. We need to be clear on what 10 percent means. Phuket has to agree on this.''
Mayor Ma-Ann said he continued to urge Governor Jamleran Tipayapongtada to be strong enough to clean up the beaches and not have any business conducted on the beach.
Earlier this year, Mayor Ma-Ann ordered no business to be to conducted on Laypang beach.
Mayor Ma-Ann said he believed about 60 percent of workers who previously worked on the beaches now had new jobs. He urged hotel owners in Bang Tao and Laypang to help the others to find new jobs off public beach areas.
A decision on the way forward at Phuket's beaches has been in doubt since the military took charge in Thailand and ordered all illegal commerce cleared from public space along the sands and foreshores.
At that time, the strangest decision was a total ban on sunbeds and beach chairs, leaving veteran European visitors who have been visiting Phuket for decades, to make do with mats at sand level.
Tourists were also banned from bringing their own sunbeds, beach chairs and umbrellas, with former Governor Nisit Jansomwong declaring that only 10 percent of each beach could be used for umbrellas, mats and commercial activities.
With the confusing policy on sunbeds and umbrellas still unresolved, and all restaurants and beach clubs on the shorefront at Surin beach likely to be bulldozed by early next year, tourists are likely to react - either favorably or unfavorably - to the changes.
Meetings to discuss beaches in other districts on Phuket are scheduled for today and tomorrow. A final decision about Phuket's beach rules is expected on Friday.
"Earlier this year, Mayor Ma-Ann ordered no business to be to conducted on Laypang beach."
Maybe he'd like to make the short journey from his office and see that there are a dozen businesses operating on Laypang beach.
Posted by sid on October 27, 2015 09:47