PHUKET: Kamala could become Phuket's first beach without vendors unless they meet an October 1 deadline to form a cooperative, Vice Governor Suthee Tongyam told a meeting yesterday.

Speaking at a review of a university survey on what Phuket's beaches need to be improved, the vice governor told Kamala vendors: ''If you don't register to form a coop before the end of September, forget it.

''Kamala could become the first beach with no services on the beach - and that could be great for Phuket.''

At a meeting on August 21, no vendors from Kamala turned up, he said. A few were present at yesterday's meeting to hear the results of the survey by Prince of Sungkhla University researchers.

''On Patong beach,'' the vice governor said, ''the zoning is not clear and umbrellas are being laid out before tourists arrive. That has to stop. No customers, no umbrellas go up.''

Service centres ''looked very messy,'' said the vice governor, recently returned from a visit to Bondi beach in Australia.

He said he was puzzled that no beach chairs or tables were permitted for business people but jet-ski operators were putting up signs and sitting on chairs along the beach.

''How is it that jet-ski operators can do what others are not allowed to do?'' he asked. ''Everybody must be treated the same.''

Patong was another beach where vendors of different types had yet to form coops.

''Patong beach vendors have until September 20 to register,'' he said. ''All those who register must have a card and a uniform.''

After September 20, the vice governor warned, ''we will check and warn people not following orders.

''There will be a second check and a second warning. ''The third time, those who do not conform will be arrested and barred from working.''

A proposed Phuket beach committee - similar in many ways to the Phuket Beach Authority proposed by Phuketwan - will include police and Royal Thai Navy 3 personnel to enforce the rules after September 20.

He was particularly pointed about Kamala - Patong and Kamala are the two major beaches overseen by Kathu district.

''We send a strong message to vendors to sort out your own futures,'' he said. ''If you don't respond, Kamala will be a clean, free beach - a fine example to the rest of Phuket.''

Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak, overseeing the introduction of new controls on the nine beaches under the jurisdiction of Phuket City district - including Karon, Kata and Nai Harn - said all the city's beaches now had registered coops.

But there was insufficient budget for next year so local councils, formerly in charge of the beaches, would have to find extra funds to contribute, he said.

Vice Governor Panlop Singhaseni said that the six beaches under Thalang district were being organised, and Surin possibly could become a role model for Phuket's other beaches.

''It's 820 metres long and the lifeguards there perform their duties well,'' he said. ''Cherng Talay council visits once a week to enforce standards there.

''All the resorts in the surrounding area have created and issued brochures to their guests so they can understand what's happening to the beach rules.''

A representative from Pak Lok said there was no such clarity over Naka island, where umbrellas still sprouted over large areas of the sands and the serviced areas were obviously greater than 10 percent of the beach.

Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong said that the university survey was a step in the right direction and that Phuket was ''90 percent there'' in its efforts to end two decades of private enterprise breaking laws about public ownership of the popular west coast beaches.