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Phuket Beach Vendors Protest Over Fears of More Arrests in Patong
By Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian Sunday, December 7, 2014
PHUKET: About 200 Phuket beach vendors and masseuses demonstrated at Patong's Kathu Police Station yesterday because they fear arrest in coming days.
The Patong beach workers are alarmed at arrest warrants issued to beach workers in neighboring Karon and fear the same roundup could happen at the beach that once had more sunbeds, vendors and jet-skis than any other on Phuket.
Patong still has its scores of jet-skis but the sunbeds and umbrellas are banned and the vendors are asking for an explanation of just what is and isn't allowed.
It was their second protest at the police station this week.
''You said we could sell as long as we keep moving or as long as all equipment is removed from the beach before nightfall,'' one vendor said yesterday.
''We have been obeying the rules, yet we are still liable to arrest.''
Confusion continues on the beaches of Phuket because there is no overall consistency.
All the beaches have elected local councils controlling them, and the fact that council electors are among the vendors and masseuses makes sound independent judgements unlikely.
The military government ordered the beaches cleared of private commercial activity soon after taking control of Thailand in a coup on May 22.
Vendors, it seems, had been breaking Thai laws for years, but the breach was overlooked by local councils and police until the Army took charge.
Now the issue surges along with different decisions often being taken at different beaches. A furious debate continues online between tourists who are sunbed-lovers and those who think the renewed vistas and open beaches represent the best future for Thailand's tourism industry.
Tourists are permitted to sit on mats or towels or to bring their own umbrellas and chairs - except on days when council officials wake up in a bad mood and order the byo umbrellas off the beaches.
What's most plain is that there's a sharp unfairness in driving vendors and massueses off Patong, Surin, Kata, Karon and Kamala beaches while at the same time allowing jet-skis and parasailers to continue to operate. In some cases, jet-skis and parasailers continue to rev at beaches where they are banned by law.
A poll in a local tabloid has 75 percent of viewers voting to ban jet-skis from Phuket's beaches.
At Patong, however, the mayor is in the invidious position of having to obey the military yet at the same time being pressured by voters, vendors and beach business interests to return private enterprise to the beaches.
The mayor's compromise on jet-skis involves dividing the beach into alternate swimming, jet-ski, swimming and jet-ski zones - a dangerous compromise that is doomed to fail because nobody has warned the swimmers who continue to choose to take a dip in the jet-ski zones.
The governor, meanwhile, has been seeking a compromise similar to Patong's mayor - allowing some sunbeds back and regulating them.
Control has never been possible in the past and a few rows of sunbeds, if permitted, are likely to quickly expand with demand to cover all of Phuket's prime west coast beaches once more.
Phuketwan believes that Phuket should join its neighboring provinces of Krabi and Phang Nga in continuing a ban on sunbeds and vendors - and also banning jet-skis, as the other holiday provinces have done.
That would give all the key Andaman provinces the same balance with nature and a fresh start in attracting tourists who know the balance is difficult and understand that beaches are better without sunbeds, vendors and jet-skis.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Only in Kata there are about 200 /250 Vendors, every 5 minute different venders coming and want to sell you some thing, and this same people coming back and back and want to sell. If you stay on the beach for 1 day you have about 300 to 400 venders some coming and ask you to bay Matt, food.beer +++ send this people to school in Thalang it`s free and free room + 300 Bath every day and they can learn everything from the construction of houses, Electrical, welding, cook and when they are done they get one Public letter att they have gone to school and learned something, but they are all too lazy and do it
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
December 7, 2014 11:36
what about renting surfboards in the wave season?
Posted by
surf starved katoey
on
December 7, 2014 11:37
Editor Comment:
Perhaps putting motors on them might help.
why in Pattaya there are sunbed and umbrella? Is not Thailand? No army here?
Posted by
Michele
on
December 7, 2014 11:40
I walked Karon Beach from the south end to the north on Saturday.
A few observations:
People can bring their own umbrellas ??? and they do; one in 20 had umbrellas. Others decide to stay under the trees on a straw mat/towel.
Commercial activities on Karon Beach are continuing.
I counted more than 40 beach vendors on my walk. Most were selling souvenirs, sun glasses, beach mats and ice cream.
There are also ''beach runners'' taking orders from tourists and buying beer, soft drinks from local shops on the main road.
No masseuses.
There were 7 - 8 speed boats operating, and around the same number of jet skis. Local authorities/hotels have added designated areas where the speeds boat and jet skis were supposed to stay (appx 20 meters wide). These areas were not used.
Speed boats came at high speed where the swimmers were, next to Hilton Arcadia and also the area between South Sea and Karon Circle. I saw several very dangerous situations and the closer the boats are to the swimmers - the bigger the laughs from the boys.
Best guess is 70-80% of the tourists on the beach were Russians. Friendly bunch looking for sun, nice weather and to enjoy drinks and food. Was invited over for a vodka shot. I was told that they felt Phuket was expensive. The sanctions are biting. A year ago one Russian ruble gave them one baht. Today the exchange rate is 0.6. In other words: a 1000 baht meal would cost 1000 roubles a year ago - now it costs 1600 roubles.
20 years ago it was 70% Scandinavians / Germans at Karon. They are mostly gone. Scandinavians moved to Phang Nga/Krabi 10 years ago. Are they coming back? I doubt it - at least not to Karon.
The taxi drivers are back as they were before - sitting next to the stadium on the south sea of the beach and taking up parking spaces. I tried to park there and I was told it was for ?''taxi only''. There is also a sign there with prices to different destinations.
Very few life guards on duty and impossible to see where they were and if they were keeping an eye on the beach.
The beach was fairly clean. There was garbage left in black plastic bags; not sure if this was from earlier or not. There was no places for people to leave their garbage. Most seemed to bring it back with them, but not all.
The beach is more beautiful than I have seen it since the mid-1990s. I was at Karon the first time in 1986, but mostly stopped going 8-9 years ago. Will I be back again?
Yes, it is worth re-visiting. For now.
Posted by
Hagar
on
December 7, 2014 11:57
It certainly isn't fair the jet ski guys get full access to the beach whilst everybody else gets chased off. The jet ski guys must have better lobbyists.....
Posted by
Arun Muruga
on
December 7, 2014 12:14
Must be Thailand where you intend to openly engage in an illegal activity and picket the police station as sort of a preemptive strike.
Posted by
Robert
on
December 7, 2014 12:16
And then you have Surin Beach, where you cannot bring your own umbrella, but must rent one from a vendor in a shop off the beach road. And then you have Bang Tao where jet skis and para-sail boats operate anywhere they want in addition to the horse back riding on the beach where you have to be careful where you step.
Posted by
Scudman
on
December 7, 2014 13:03
Editor Comment:
All reasons why a Phuket Beach Authority is essential, with the Royal Thai Navy in command. For too long one of Thailand's most important assets - the beaches of Phuket - have been treated with disregard.
After watching the Royal Thai Navy on RIBs during the recent Phuket King's Cup come to shore, speed in and out, uncomfortably and unnecessarily close to tourists swimming, I don't have much faith in the Navy in the position of Beach Authority. I do support the idea of an independent Beach Authority 100%, however. Just can't think who would be professional and independent to make the hard and right decisions...
Posted by
Duncan
on
December 7, 2014 13:59
At the other hand why has to take Phuket authorities more than 6 months to make 'key decisions" ? What are they doing? When do authorities become pro active and stand by their ruling? Meeting-talks, and than? Yes, what than?
Posted by
Kurt
on
December 7, 2014 14:15
All businesses that rely on tourists would like to see some beach umbrellas and chairs back for their customers to rent even the resorts with their own pools
Every business in Phuket rely on tourists in one way or another, Phuket would not be the way it is without tourists and a controlled amount of chairs and umbrella's with plenty of empty beach for people who want to sit on the sand or bring their own umbrella's would keep everyone happy
The majority of people who post on this web site are not tourists, the tourists who do post on PW would like to be able to rent umbrella's and chairs while on holidays like they always could
Posted by
Peter Allen
on
December 7, 2014 15:26
Editor Comment:
Well, Phuket will be better off if they and the vendors learn to obey the law. Come to think of it, the island would also be better off if all guest houses and resorts obeyed the law, too. Do you have a point to make, beyond urging everyone to continue breaking the laws and not looking beyond what happens next week? If there's something you're trying to say that nobody else knows, please tell us what it is. If you want the laws changed, now's your time to ask for reform in Bangkok.
"All businesses that rely on tourists would like to see some beach umbrellas and chairs back for their customers to rent even the resorts with their own pools "
Did you do a survey on that Peter? I know many businesses here relying on tourist that don't want the chairs back, and that includes my shop. Umbrellas are back already, guests can bring them or rent them.
Posted by
stevenl
on
December 7, 2014 16:17
Another option that a lot of people are now using is to spend their money elsewhere. Somewhere without all these ridiculous problems. Everything costs so much on Phuket because everyone has to pay someone off. I choose to avoid seeing a % of my money ending up in corrupt pockets.
Posted by
Arun Muruga
on
December 7, 2014 17:14
OK most businesses who rely on tourists would like a limited amount of rental chairs and umbrella's back
Certainly not a dive shop that acts as a agent for diving trips and uses the beach to train divers run and operated by a expat
Both shops and agencies are occupations reserved for Thai's, that's something that the govt should clamp down on
Posted by
Peter Allen
on
December 7, 2014 17:46
All beds, umbrellas and vendors off the beach is the only way forward for PHuket.
Incidentally they should have been arrested for breach of martial law for protesting and gathering in a group of more than 5.
Its a real shame that Phuket authorities are so spineless in relation to all of this.
A beach authority is well needed. The editor is spot on.
Posted by
Ciaran
on
December 7, 2014 18:41
We all comment on what is going on with the illegal beach vendors.
But is there this moment a single Phuket authority caring about the tourists? Immigration time airport ( not enough immigration officers due to fact that late evening they prefer to drive 'limousine'), Taxi fares, dual pricing, uncomfortable beach situation ( every day different 'policies'). Tourist feel they are free targets.
Posted by
Kurt
on
December 7, 2014 18:56
This is going to be a very short comment! I have been walking Patong for 30 years, back when it it was a simple fishing village.
I will be now writing on "Trip Advisor
" and informing thousands of tourists that Phuket is "NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO"
The jet ski clowns and parasail dickweeds have got to GO!!
I have always loved this Island and the corruption is pathetic. The new Major wants to seed her retirement at the expense of tourists. She needs to grow a couple and turn down the money! She may even be know as "A great lady" when she is done!
Time to get your "S*** Together Patong" or you will soon be known as "Little Pattaya"
My "Trip Advisor" account reaches a lot of people and believe me, Bali will run over your butt because they have cleaned up their act!
Good luck Patong and all your corrupt cops!!!!!
Posted by
Rigcat
on
December 7, 2014 19:04
Editor Comment:
That wasn't so short. I'm glad you didn't give us the long version.
What would the lady mayor do if she opted to become transgender? Your explanation isn't clear.
Its not me who wants to change the rules or try to tell Thai people how Phuket should be run unlike you editor Phuket is a major tourist destination and its important for the authorities to keep them happy so they keep coming
Personally I stay here on a retirement visa extension and have no need to run a business, obey the rules, do not try to interfere in how Thailand is run and I am a welcome guest, how about you
Posted by
Peter Allen
on
December 7, 2014 19:52
Editor Comment:
As we've said before, there is no way we would have ever advocated removing the sunbads - I do like that typo. Almost as good as sinbeds. We wouldn't have considered removing them was possible, given the hold that the people who run the beds have over the local councils. The hold they had, that is, until the military came along.
Do you understand the concept of corruption, Peter? Do you like the idea of spending your retirement in a place where corrupt people can affect your life? If so, you've come to the right place.
Support one form of corruption and you cannot complain when other forms of corruption bite you on the bum. You tolerate it, or you fight it.
Your ''welcome guest'' concept is what flies in cobwebs say to spiders. ''But I am a welcome guest!'' The questions is: are you a person who compromises principles on the basis of what the system delivers for you? Or are you retiring on a blind person's pension? You say you have no need to ''obey the rules'' . . . you are kidding only yourself.
Wrong editor, I get no pension or benefits from the Australian govt, I worked up to 14 hours a day and paid my taxes and still do pay tax every year and do not agree with corruption or pay tea money.
people who pay tea money and there are plenty of them are as corrupt as the people who collect it
The local corruption does not worry me
There is official corruption in every country including Australia, my local govt elected council members were sacked by the state govt and administrators installed, guess why
I am quite happy with the way Thai people are running Phuket, it's improving all the time as democracy develops here
you are the one who wants to tell Thai people how to run Thailand, not me
Posted by
Peter Allen
on
December 7, 2014 21:06
Editor Comment:
I work with Thais and they want changes, too, Peter. Perhaps you missed their bylines, given your obsession with me. You don't seem clear on whether you oppose corruption wherever you live, or whether you tolerate corruption wherever you live. Or you'd prefer to let others make those kinds of judgements for you?
I have no power ''to tell Thai people how to run Thailand.'' But I can tell right from wrong. So can my Thai staff.
Enjoy your retirement.
Wrong again editor, I am against corruption in Australia and have done something about it as all Australian citizens can
I am a guest in Thailand not a citizen so have no right to tell or suggest to
Thai people how they should run Thailand
Some people think they have that right even though they do not even pay tax here
Posted by
Peter Allen
on
December 7, 2014 21:44
Editor Comment:
Oh I see . . . you're on a retirement extension, but you're still working. You see corruption everywhere, but you'd never speak out about it in Thailand (or in Australia, because others are doing that for you.) Thanks, Peter.
In the 21st century, the key values of being able to tell right from wrong transcend national boundaries. You are old school: ''I don't care what happens in your country, as long as it doesn't affect me.'' Great work, Peter. I am sure you will find plenty of blinkered, self-interested supporters . . . as for me, I'll be doing my best to fight corruption anywhere and everywhere. Too many people are only interested in self. Their borders are narrow and all about them.
Er, I pay taxes here. So that gives me your permission, eh Peter?
Presumably what we want is for the beaches to be protected from physical harm.
Like Italy, Thailand has laws against virtually everything. Many of these laws are realistically unenforceable. Or their enforcement is erratic and arbitrary. Or the laws are pointless and do not solve the problems they are intended to solve. This all leads inevitably to contempt for the law and corrupt practices.
I believe this to be true of the laws in Thailand that forbid private business activity on Thai beaches.
There is nothing inherent in private business activity that brings harm to beaches in Thailand or anywhere, for that matter.
In fact, there is good reason to believe that some private businesses did much to protect and maintain the beaches as well as providing services that beach goers should reasonably expect to be available.
In particular, I think this applies to to beach chair and umbrella vendors. Besides providing protection from the sun which many need, the vendors cleaned their beaches (because it was in their interest to do so). They also surveyed their areas so that beach goers could be confident that their valuables were secure. They also had trash receptacles so people could easily dispose of their junk. This system was a win win for everyone: the beach goers, the vendors, the beaches themselves.
Maybe this wasn't the consistent practice on all Phuket beaches, but it was certainly true that it was the case on Patong Beach where I spent about 50% of the year for 4 to 8 hours every day for more than 15 years. It was also true on the other beaches I would occasionally go to: Laem Singh, Surin, Kata Noi.
Maybe the same services could be provided by public employees. Honestly I think such a system would be much less effective than private businesses that might be subcontracted by local authorities.
I think the same argument applies to the folks in the yellow jackets who were authorized to sell fruits and drinks. Exactly what harm were they doing?
If there is any serious harm being done to the beaches (and the bays they are adjacent to) it is from storm water overflow, improper waste disposal from adjacent properties, and similar infrastructural inadequacies.
I think the private/public issue is a silly diversion. If laws are being consistently ignored then maybe the laws are foolish and need a serious rethink (that would apply consistently throughout Thailand).
So, for once, I agree with the Editor that this whole issue needs to be addressed by ''Bangkok''. I have no idea whether the National Reform Council (or any other commission created by the Junta) is looking at these issues but in my view they urgently need to do so.
It really isn't rocket science. I don't see why regulations cannot be devised that would allow services to beach goers that are consistent with proper ecological management of beaches, that are enforceable, and that do not make corrupt practices inevitable.
The question of whether these services are provided by private businesses or public employees seems to me to be beside the point.
Whether these services should include para sailing, jet skis, massages (or volley ball and football games for that matter) are matters of judgement that I remain neutral about.
A great urban planner told me in my youth: What's the point of regulations and plans? If properly devised, they are ways to get people to naturally behave in ways that are consistent with a locality's goals. If unrealistic and arbitrary, they defeat the purpose and encourage disorder.
Posted by
Ken Freed
on
December 8, 2014 00:27
Ken,
So who then decides whether person A or person B is able to profit from a public asset.
If person B pays more to person C is he entitled to more of the beach than person A.
When person A finds out he is losing his share and decides to pay more than person B, consumer D must wear this cost.
However consumer D already had the right to use the beach, why should he have to pay and why does person C appear wealthy beyond reason?
Posted by
Manowar
on
December 8, 2014 05:45
Surin and Bang Tao are a disgrace. Go and see the car park which has been taken over by vendors and taxis. Why isn't the army following up on their previous good work?
Posted by
graham
on
December 8, 2014 07:47
@ PA
"I am a guest in Thailand not a citizen so have no right to tell or suggest toThai people how they should run Thailand"
How you come to this conclusion?
If you are a teacher and doing tour with the school and you will be locked in a cave, and a Kids search the exit in the wrong direction and only you and your colleagues know the way out, what do you do?
Not only you not show the way out, no you do not even talk about it?
Posted by
Georg The Viking
on
December 8, 2014 08:19
Editor Comment:
Peter is lost. No need for a cave.
@KF
"If laws are being consistently ignored then maybe the laws are foolish and need a serious rethink"
Let's change the laws if we not like them? It is anarchy.
Ken, I think you should inform again how it was with democratic states.
little hint: executive, legislative, judicial...
Posted by
Georg The Viking
on
December 8, 2014 08:38
"Surin and Bang Tao are a disgrace. Go and see the car park.."
I assume you mean the Surin car park. Why is bangtao a disgrace?
Posted by
phonus
on
December 8, 2014 10:31
NCPO did sett the rules about how they want 'pilot project Phuket' suppose to be face lifted. Get rid of the transport mafia, corrupt obor tor officials, clean up the beaches, no more illegal vendosr on public land ( who never paid taxes). But NCPO is not enforcing their orders. Same as police is not enforcing the traffic laws in any way. If NCPO just 'thai' ( talk talk) and not enforce, than NCPO better stops. Right now everybody is doing what he/she wants, there is no correct structure/law enforcement in any way on Phuket. Sad.
Posted by
Kurt
on
December 8, 2014 11:33
Manowar. Rights to use public property are sorted out in various ways: by lottery, by competitive bidding. There's nothing problematic about this.
The customer would pay for a chair and umbrella. Nothing I have said suggest he would pay to lie on the beach.
George the V: You say"Let's change the laws if we not like them? It is anarchy." No it isn't anarchy at all. What is anarchy is life under the sway of ludicrous laws. For example, prohibition in USA; which was reformed encase it was unworkable. Where did I say anything that would suggest that reform of the laws would not be passed by a legislative body?
Posted by
Ken Freed
on
December 8, 2014 11:33
Ken, who or what has the right to decide what a foolish law is and what's not?
At least not the ignorance of the people.
To wear a helmet in road traffic would be foolish in accoudance to your logic.
It is not foolish too to treat animals well and give refugees a proper shelter.
Posted by
Georg The Viking
on
December 8, 2014 13:03
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Should read Phuket's ILLEGAL Beach Vendors!
Posted by Whistle-Blower on December 7, 2014 11:25