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PHUKET: A line of sunbeds on Phuket's Paradise beach appears to be among the last of its kind following the island's beach clearances - but the sunbeds are actually on private property.
Is this Paradise lost, or Paradise regained?
Free access to all of Thailand's public beaches - mandatory throughout the country - became an issue yesterday at the small but popular beach, south of Patong.
Because the beach is backed by a private property, to get to the beach you can either arrive by sea, as some people do from Patong, or come through the property owned by Amphean Theanthin.
You will be charged 100 baht. This is not for entry, which is free, but for a sunbed.
What if all the sunbeds are taken? Then the fee is for use of the excellent toilet and shower facilities.
What if you don't want to use the shower and toilet? Er . . .
Paradise Beach appears to have been regained by the National Peace and Order Council and cleared properly of sunbeds and umbrellas, which are now banned.
The row now sits back on private property, so the 100 baht fee is also permissible. But the beach, just a few metres away, is supposed to be free . . .
All the so-called ''private'' beaches on Phuket are supposed to be accessible even if backed by a large, intimidating resort.
Some resorts obey the law and make sure there's access to members of the public.
Others avoid the issue, and it's probably only a matter of time before the NCPO gets around to making sure that all people have access to all beaches.
In the past, disputes have reached courts.
There's a roadway that actually passes beneath the Royal Phuket Yacht Club building at Nai Harn so people can get to tiny Ao Sane beach, illustrating the historic nature of this struggle.
Paradise Beach owner Khun Amphean charges 100 baht and also asks for a parking fee for vehicles.
He told Phuketwan back in 2008 that he grew up on Paradise and wants to preserve it as it is, not sell out to some resort.
''I am like a pier,'' Khun Amphean said. ''Businessmen who come to Phuket are like boats. They go everywhere and stop in the places that make them rich.
''But that's not for me. I'm a local person. I was born here and one thing is for sure, I'm going to die here. So I have to stand by my island. I do everything because it's my home.''
Paradise appears to be a good place to do business and, with its good facilities and a restaurant, attracts more and more tourists.
Down the road at TriTrang beach, the ''owner'' of the Windsurf restaurant at the southern end was given three days to remove all internal equipment and ordered to be demolished within 10 days.
He signed an agreement with the Kathu Police Superintendent, an Army representative and the Patong council lawyer.
Another signature was added to another document when the clearance force moved up the beach to the large TriTrang Restaurant, where the owner also signed off.
He had previously told officials that if his restaurant was doomed, then whatever construction lay behind a large section of corrugated green screen should be moved off the beach, too.
However, with the green screen gone, it was revealed yesterday that the resort under construction appears to be well back from the high tide mark.
The beaches of Phuket are rapidly changing but with his rare row of sunbeds and his attitude to life, Khun Amphean is bound to attract more strangers to Paradise.
Is this Paradise lost, or Paradise regained?
Free access to all of Thailand's public beaches - mandatory throughout the country - became an issue yesterday at the small but popular beach, south of Patong.
Because the beach is backed by a private property, to get to the beach you can either arrive by sea, as some people do from Patong, or come through the property owned by Amphean Theanthin.
You will be charged 100 baht. This is not for entry, which is free, but for a sunbed.
What if all the sunbeds are taken? Then the fee is for use of the excellent toilet and shower facilities.
What if you don't want to use the shower and toilet? Er . . .
Paradise Beach appears to have been regained by the National Peace and Order Council and cleared properly of sunbeds and umbrellas, which are now banned.
The row now sits back on private property, so the 100 baht fee is also permissible. But the beach, just a few metres away, is supposed to be free . . .
All the so-called ''private'' beaches on Phuket are supposed to be accessible even if backed by a large, intimidating resort.
Some resorts obey the law and make sure there's access to members of the public.
Others avoid the issue, and it's probably only a matter of time before the NCPO gets around to making sure that all people have access to all beaches.
In the past, disputes have reached courts.
There's a roadway that actually passes beneath the Royal Phuket Yacht Club building at Nai Harn so people can get to tiny Ao Sane beach, illustrating the historic nature of this struggle.
Paradise Beach owner Khun Amphean charges 100 baht and also asks for a parking fee for vehicles.
He told Phuketwan back in 2008 that he grew up on Paradise and wants to preserve it as it is, not sell out to some resort.
''I am like a pier,'' Khun Amphean said. ''Businessmen who come to Phuket are like boats. They go everywhere and stop in the places that make them rich.
''But that's not for me. I'm a local person. I was born here and one thing is for sure, I'm going to die here. So I have to stand by my island. I do everything because it's my home.''
Paradise appears to be a good place to do business and, with its good facilities and a restaurant, attracts more and more tourists.
Down the road at TriTrang beach, the ''owner'' of the Windsurf restaurant at the southern end was given three days to remove all internal equipment and ordered to be demolished within 10 days.
He signed an agreement with the Kathu Police Superintendent, an Army representative and the Patong council lawyer.
Another signature was added to another document when the clearance force moved up the beach to the large TriTrang Restaurant, where the owner also signed off.
He had previously told officials that if his restaurant was doomed, then whatever construction lay behind a large section of corrugated green screen should be moved off the beach, too.
However, with the green screen gone, it was revealed yesterday that the resort under construction appears to be well back from the high tide mark.
The beaches of Phuket are rapidly changing but with his rare row of sunbeds and his attitude to life, Khun Amphean is bound to attract more strangers to Paradise.
I had exactly the same argument on Paradise Beach many years back when I drove there in my car with my friend to dive off that beach.
I was told I have to pay to use the sunbeds, which I said I'm not going to. Then the tack switched to charging for showers and toilets, which I said I'm not going to use either.
Finally she tried to charge me for parking, at which point I drove my car off the property and walked back.
The lady who appeared to be in charge was irate and abusive but we stood our ground and had a very nice dive.
The stupid thing is if she had not immediately attacked us with demands for fees, we would have been more than happy to shower, sit and eat there too after our dive and pay for it all.
Instead we never went back.
Posted by ThaiMike on July 30, 2014 09:07