PHUKET: Club Med Phuket, the resort credited with beginning the flow of tourists to Phuket almost 30 years ago, is built on public land that local residents now want to reclaim as the international resort brand's lease expires.
The stylish resort sits on one of Phuket's most desirable slices of property at Kata beach. But the contract for use of the public land under the buildings runs out on September 24 next year.
With exquisite timing, a classic struggle for the resort is likely to break out just as Thailand's military rulers, the National Council for Peace and Order, are conducting a purge to restore all public land to the people, throughout the entire nation.
The beaches of Phuket and the tropical island's foreshores are being returned to nature as the Army erases sunbeds and illegal restaurants.
Just what the general's view is about an iconic resort such as the Club Med Phuket on public beachfront land has yet to be made clear.
What Phuketwan has been told is that the magnificent shorefront property remains public land, but it was leased at the sum of 150 baht per square metre to Club Med in 1985.
Back then, income of about 600,000 baht a year may have seemed a great deal for Phuket's Orborjor, otherwise known as the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation.
These days, almost 30 years on, around 600,000 baht in rent annually for the Club Med Phuket property would be viewed as a bargain.
Already letters have been exchanged and the debate is about to break out about the future of the historic resort.
Its prospects as public space or 21st century resort could well be argued at all levels of government between now and September next year.
Most public land on Phuket is reserved for public use, not private profit, as many restaurant and beach club owners have recently discovered.
But the land under Club Med is different.
Back in the early 1980s, the Orborjor asked the Interior Ministry if it could lease the Kata beach land for its benefit, and the Orborjor was given permission - provided the arrangement had the approval of the local residents.
Back then, the residents approved . . . but whether they still approve is an entirely different matter, in a different century, with a different set of priorities.
Phuketwan has been told that Club Med has to negotiate any new lease of the land one year in advance.
The first letter from Club Med seeking to renew the lease through the Orborjor was sent on April 17.
To put the Club Med property in perspective, its importance to Phuket cannot be overestimated. It is reckoned that the opening of Club Med in 1985 was the reason why Thai Air started daily flights from Bangkok to Phuket.
The rest, as they say, is history. At the time, Club Med was the je ne sais quoi place for single travellers to go to enjoy themselves.
Over the decades that followed, those singles returned with their wives and their families. The all-in price is also what separates Club Med from nearly all of its competition.
Few resorts on Phuket or anywhere else set out to keep their guests entertained within the boundaries of the resort and do it so well.
Few resorts have so many staff from all over the world, capable of speaking all the major languages, and more besides.
The original Club Med was a triumph for architect Mom Luang Tri Devakul - better known as Mom Tri - who soon became a household name.
He is regarded as the man who gave the island its early reputation for quality, something that the tourism industry now seeks to regain.
With days now ticking by until the lease expires in September next year, will Phuket's history take a sudden turn in direction, or will Club Med continue at Kata beach under a new lease?
Sadly, having disputes with the locals over land at both ends of the property has not endeared the brand to the people who may eventually decide the future of the highly-prized site.
Of all the beaches on Phuket's west coast, Kata probably still retains the reputation for being the most visually splendid, with Boo (crab) island an essential part of every postcard.
The hint of a public auction of the site would produce massive interest from the world's top brands. A 30-year lease from 2015 to 2045 would attract old money, new money and big money.
What Phuketwan hears is that in the present environment, with local taxi and tuk-tuk drivers being pressured to conform to international standards and with beach vendors being forced to quit their jobs, the local residents simply want to have their say.
The Club Med lease is, for want of a better phrase, the ace up the sleeve for locals under pressure to conform.
That's why an informal meeting between the Orborjor and Kata-Karon residents on Thursday will be viewed with great interest by many people with a comprehensive sense of Phuket - its history, its present, and its future.
The stylish resort sits on one of Phuket's most desirable slices of property at Kata beach. But the contract for use of the public land under the buildings runs out on September 24 next year.
With exquisite timing, a classic struggle for the resort is likely to break out just as Thailand's military rulers, the National Council for Peace and Order, are conducting a purge to restore all public land to the people, throughout the entire nation.
The beaches of Phuket and the tropical island's foreshores are being returned to nature as the Army erases sunbeds and illegal restaurants.
Just what the general's view is about an iconic resort such as the Club Med Phuket on public beachfront land has yet to be made clear.
What Phuketwan has been told is that the magnificent shorefront property remains public land, but it was leased at the sum of 150 baht per square metre to Club Med in 1985.
Back then, income of about 600,000 baht a year may have seemed a great deal for Phuket's Orborjor, otherwise known as the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation.
These days, almost 30 years on, around 600,000 baht in rent annually for the Club Med Phuket property would be viewed as a bargain.
Already letters have been exchanged and the debate is about to break out about the future of the historic resort.
Its prospects as public space or 21st century resort could well be argued at all levels of government between now and September next year.
Most public land on Phuket is reserved for public use, not private profit, as many restaurant and beach club owners have recently discovered.
But the land under Club Med is different.
Back in the early 1980s, the Orborjor asked the Interior Ministry if it could lease the Kata beach land for its benefit, and the Orborjor was given permission - provided the arrangement had the approval of the local residents.
Back then, the residents approved . . . but whether they still approve is an entirely different matter, in a different century, with a different set of priorities.
Phuketwan has been told that Club Med has to negotiate any new lease of the land one year in advance.
The first letter from Club Med seeking to renew the lease through the Orborjor was sent on April 17.
To put the Club Med property in perspective, its importance to Phuket cannot be overestimated. It is reckoned that the opening of Club Med in 1985 was the reason why Thai Air started daily flights from Bangkok to Phuket.
The rest, as they say, is history. At the time, Club Med was the je ne sais quoi place for single travellers to go to enjoy themselves.
Over the decades that followed, those singles returned with their wives and their families. The all-in price is also what separates Club Med from nearly all of its competition.
Few resorts on Phuket or anywhere else set out to keep their guests entertained within the boundaries of the resort and do it so well.
Few resorts have so many staff from all over the world, capable of speaking all the major languages, and more besides.
The original Club Med was a triumph for architect Mom Luang Tri Devakul - better known as Mom Tri - who soon became a household name.
He is regarded as the man who gave the island its early reputation for quality, something that the tourism industry now seeks to regain.
With days now ticking by until the lease expires in September next year, will Phuket's history take a sudden turn in direction, or will Club Med continue at Kata beach under a new lease?
Sadly, having disputes with the locals over land at both ends of the property has not endeared the brand to the people who may eventually decide the future of the highly-prized site.
Of all the beaches on Phuket's west coast, Kata probably still retains the reputation for being the most visually splendid, with Boo (crab) island an essential part of every postcard.
The hint of a public auction of the site would produce massive interest from the world's top brands. A 30-year lease from 2015 to 2045 would attract old money, new money and big money.
What Phuketwan hears is that in the present environment, with local taxi and tuk-tuk drivers being pressured to conform to international standards and with beach vendors being forced to quit their jobs, the local residents simply want to have their say.
The Club Med lease is, for want of a better phrase, the ace up the sleeve for locals under pressure to conform.
That's why an informal meeting between the Orborjor and Kata-Karon residents on Thursday will be viewed with great interest by many people with a comprehensive sense of Phuket - its history, its present, and its future.
Pull it down
Plant trees & turn it into a public park for all to enjoy.
Posted by Harry on August 5, 2014 22:28