Phuket's Beaches Fall Into Line
By Chutima Sidasathian Thursday, March 5, 2015
PHUKET: A meeting yesterday confirmed that Phuket's beaches are all attempting the ''10 percent zone'' proposed by the holiday island's governor to appease unhappy beach vendors.
Beach workers, resort representatives and local councils agreed to have the plan in place by the time Governor Nisit Jansomwong returns from the ITB Berlin travel fair for a beach inspection tour on March 9, Kathu district chief Saiyan Chanawong told Phuketwan today.
Key to the governor's proposed solution is the erection of signs and the distribution of brochures informing tourists that beach chairs are banned and that umbrellas and mats are only available on specific parts of all Phuket beaches.
''The Tourism Authority of Thailand have agreed to create signs that will be posted in the international and domestic sections at Phuket airport,'' Khun Saiyan said.
Restrictions on the use of umbrellas that swimmers bring themselves and a total ban on beach chairs are expected to lead to some tourists abandoning the island for other destinations in future.
After all of the holiday island's much-loved beaches were cleared of commercialism and illegal beach clubs and restaurants last year, Phuket had the chance to also ban jet-skis and parasails and project the island as a nature-loving destination.
Instead, the vendors who have been making private profit from public space for decades persuaded authorities that commerce should return to the beaches.
As the future of Patong beach was being negotiated, jet-ski and parasail operators managed to win concessions giving them exclusive access to large stretches of the island's most popular beach.
Khun Saiyan said today that Marine Office 5 oversaw jet-skis and remained in charge of what happened from the high-water mark at Phuket's beaches.
At Patong beach, the lines of buoys that separate swimming zones from jet-ski zones were provided by the local municipality. Khun Saiyan could not explain why the local municipality provided the lines of buoys when Marine Office 5 oversaw what happened at sea.
What's also unexplained is the reason why umbrellas and mats have been restored to 10 percent of all beaches yet comfortable sunbeds remain banned.
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Comments
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"A meeting yesterday confirmed" - or a few locals without any legal mandate decided?
Posted by
Sherlock
on
March 5, 2015 12:20
Amazing to see an interview with the governor on a different phuket news site - he was very specific that tourists want jet skis and they are going to remain. I wonder who he has been listening to? :-)
The plans are unworkable and are driving tourists away. Au Revoir phuket.
Posted by
Discover Thainess
on
March 5, 2015 13:03
Editor Comment:
Unfortunately, when supposed independent administrators become advocates for a private money-making group, the prospect of wise decision-making disappears.
We wrote an article when the governor arrived suggesting:
Talk to the Right People
MAKE SURE that the people you listen to when you arrive on Phuket are the people with Phuket's best interests at heart, not people whose wallets do the talking. Involve those who have no vested financial interest . . . . too late.
Our Company has been managing properties on Phuket for the last 5 years.
Prior to this year, we have never heard a complaint about the beaches being crowded.
This year we have had numerous complaints of Kata, Kata Noi and Nai Harn all being too crowded - this despite the fact that there are far less people on the beaches this year.
Removing the beach chairs has not made for a more pleasant beach experience for anyone.
The beaches now resemble a yard sale with no order, and are not nearly as attractive as before the sun chairs were removed.
Posted by
Anonymous
on
March 5, 2015 14:01
Editor Comment:
The beaches were not attractive when covered with kilometre after kilometre of sunbeds and umbrellas. The beaches were briefly attractive when people were allowed to bring their own umbrellas and hiring them was prohibited. Either commerce or nature - the authorities must decide. There is no point in a version that pleases nobody.
Ideally sunbeds, bars, massage beds and restaurants should be at least allowed back and even promoted on all beaches. The authorities could also add for rent many large fans, the ones that deliver moisture. And for the kids who can bore quickly nowadays I suggest large computer terminals on the sand so they could still play games etc. And for more intimacy why not being allowed to rent a few square metres surrounded by a large cloth. All these comfortable option would attract some tourists and generate income for the locals. More options could be developed.
Posted by
Anonymous
on
March 5, 2015 15:13
Sigh.......it's enough to turn any optimist into a doom-sayer.
Posted by
Sir Burr
on
March 5, 2015 15:17
I noticed Phuket is described in this article as a 'holiday island'. I think that may soon be a description from the past. I have read so many comments from tourists about these changes indicating that it won't be a holiday island for much longer. There are so many who don't want to holiday in Phuket anymore. Phuket will have to reinvent itself perhaps.
Posted by
No holiday
on
March 5, 2015 15:22
What about small shops on the sand ?, along with restaurants that would be a unique shopping experience !
Posted by
Anonymous
on
March 5, 2015 15:28
Ed, I remember the article you refer to well and as you know I agree with your sentiments completely- and I believe all your readers do.
I guess the question is how do we change his mind - if people have been influenced once then there is always the potential to influence again, but it is extremely hard
Such a sad state of affairs
Posted by
Discover Thainess
on
March 5, 2015 16:36
For someone reason, people commenting think the governor is stupid.
He knows the Jet ski's are scam artists, everyone in the entire world knows this.
He just chooses to ignore it, and for what reason? We don't know...
Posted by
Tbs
on
March 5, 2015 17:11
Editor Comment:
Perhaps he has been listening to the wrong people, Tbs. What he should probably do is learn about why the governors in Phang Nga and Krabi decided to ban them. And how ridiculous Phuket seems to the world in giving over so much of Patong beach to private enterprise. It is going to cost the island dearly. Over the years, Phuket has had many governors who compromise. What the island needs is a visionary.
I was reading one of the popular Hong Kong expat websites this afternoon.This is generally used by the professionals, and what could be described as "quality tourists" that Phuket so needs/wants.
A poster was asking about short time holidays. A few years ago Phuket would have been the number one choice. Catch the 8am flight and be on the beach for lunch. I know, I used to do it 3 or 4 times a year, but not for about 4 yrs now.
Now the comments are "Da Nang is nice, Vietnamese food is good and cheap there, also the ancient town of Hoi An is worth to visit. ", "I love Da Nang, to me it's the new Phuket. Direct flights make it so convenient too.", "Danang is great." and "Da Nang.. nice beach, great food and a quick flight.."
There was not one mention of Phuket.
Posted by
Wanchai
on
March 5, 2015 17:44
Editor Comment:
Lets hope the Europeans visitors stick with Phuket, even though the administrators no longer let swimmers bring their own beach chairs and the jet-ski operators are taking over.
What Phuket needs is a visionary.
I note your comment that you hope European tourists will continue to visit and the airport is being enlarged and more hotels built to accommodate us. However you do not wish us to enjoy the beaches comfortably which is the main reason we come. It is unacceptable to force tourists to sit on the sand without shade and expect to continue to take their money.
Posted by
janmalf
on
March 5, 2015 18:39
Editor Comment:
I don't wish anything of the kind. All visitors should be free to bring and use their own umbrellas and chairs or sunbeds wherever they wish at all beaches, as is standard on ''natural'' beaches around the world.
Nobody has asked the tourists for their opinion. at the end of the day its the tourist that pays the bills. What if you dont want to sit in the allocated 10% of the beach?
i cannot keep finding a defensive argument for this bunch of plonkers anymore. Im going to spend my holiday in Vietnam this year. hope to come back one day but serious changes must be made.
Posted by
john
on
March 5, 2015 18:50
Editor Comment:
Yes it's all been about the money. Except not about the Big Money that the tourists bring. Perhaps it's time travel agents at ITB Berlin upped the ante.
I know this will sound horrendous to a number of people, but I would like to see a boardwalk, like in Atlantic City, along the beachfront on Karon between the sand and road in the area from the Hilton to the circle. Low level, only one storey high so not blocking views, with bars and shops and room to walk and rollerblade on the walkway Pubs/restaurants/etc. with indoor and outdoor seating and umbrellas and and some reasonable parking spaces. All off the sand and properly managed by the local municipality.
Posted by
chill
on
March 5, 2015 19:47
Editor Comment:
The one natural attribute that Karon had that made it different from other beaches before the tsunami was the sandhills. Sadly, every year sees them diminished in size and scale. In Australia, glorious natural sandhills would have been protected. Now you want to bring commerce as close as possible to Karon beach, where the sandhills used to be. Don't you think Phuket has enough shops? Don't you understand how precious the natural beach environment is, and how all of Thailand will miss it when it disappears? No, I guess you don't. Greed and self-interest is destroying Phuket's future. Oh, Atlantic City, by the way: how popular is that? Atlantic City went south years ago.
Mexico next for Scandinavien people, the big tour operator in Scandinavia have start to book many Hotell over there.
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
March 5, 2015 19:56
They'll have their work cut out for them at Patong Beach, that's for sure. It's all the way back to 100% commercialized at this point. Every section of the beach has either umbrellas or jetski/parachutes for rent, with a restaurant at the north end to boot. Some tourists might want jetskis, but do they have to be for rent over the entire length of the beach? Clearly not but that is the situation. Also, how can what should be the premiere beach in all of Thailand have safe swimming areas that cover much less than half the beach. At least 60 %+ of the length is marked as unsafe to swim because of machines of various sorts. Even by Thai standards of stupidity and corruption that seems ludicrous. 10% for commercial interests? It will never happen. Money for a chosen few will always rule and they clearly feel they own all of Patong Beach.
Posted by
Day
on
March 5, 2015 20:01
Editor Comment:
Well, the Big Money is on the move. What a pity after all these years, there is no vision of what Phuket needs to survive, except the petty greed and self-interest.That won't work when the Big Money goes.
I want invite the Governor Nisit to come for one day to the beach and stay one day on the mat without umbrella. After he will understand, why the tourist never will come to stay in this comfortable beach.
Posted by
Siegfried HAGNER
on
March 5, 2015 20:24
Imagine: You save for the holiday of a lifetime based on glossy photos displayed in a brochure; arrive in high season to be faced with the above pictured 'No Swimming' sign.
It's bad enough people being misled & sold such holidays arriving in low season to find the beaches are too dangerous to swim.
But in high season? I would be miffed!
Posted by
Logic
on
March 5, 2015 20:29
Editor Comment:
One of Phuket's best swimming beaches is now the place to go for jet-skis and parasailing. Patong beach has been cleared . . . for the jet-ski operators. The message will not be lost in Europe.
Why are you in Phuket when you keep on writing how wonderful Australia is? Let every country do it their own way. Thailand? Thaistyle and not Australiastyle. Thaistyle includes chairs. Have a look outside Phuket if you don't believe me.
Posted by
Mary
on
March 5, 2015 22:13
Editor Comment:
There's an international standard for preserving beaches for future generations and I guess in Europe, all your beaches must have been destroyed long ago. Unless you think, perhaps, one standard for us, another one for ''them'' to take good care of us. How selfish, Mary.
"Perhaps he has been listening to the wrong people,"
maybe he is told what to decide by the wrong people
Posted by
mike
on
March 5, 2015 23:43
So are you finally admitting what we have been saying for 2 years that Phuket is finished as the Pearl in the Andaman Editor ??? like you say too late but the dooms dayers knew it was finished when we ist warned what would happen.
Posted by
william
on
March 6, 2015 00:25
Editor Comment:
Who is ''we,'' William? You and the other know-alls with nothing of value to say? Doomsaying is a waste of time. Please do it in private.
This place needs military control now more than ever, or soon we will be back to no control. And we need a Governor with a vision and a plan to carry it out, or things will remain a blur. I hate to say it, but I think this place is toast.
Posted by
Ed Sanders
on
March 6, 2015 00:56
Editor Comment:
Intelligent commenting 101: If you hate to say it, then don't.
Ed, regarding your comment re the boardwalk. Atlantic city may have gone south years ago but it was not because of the boardwalk.
You happily admit the natural sand hills have disappeared on Karon beach, but you have no idea how to bring them back. I am in fact a farang and will gain nothing from commercialising that wasteland that I was referring to. What exactly are you trying to preserve? Get a grip, there will always be commercialisation here, my suggestion will take it off the beach. But I knew some idiots would think the idea horrendous. You say that in Australia glorious natural sandhills would have been protected. So why are they not?
Posted by
chill
on
March 6, 2015 02:44
Editor Comment:
Better to have what's left of the sandhills acting as a buffer than abused as commerce. Why are the sandhills not already protected? Because local administrators have as much understanding about the importance of Phuket's natural environment as you do. Whether you're farang or Thai has nothing to do with it. Karon beach has next to no commerce but your idea would carry it there.
Siegfried,
You may not have noticed its very rare for a Thai and usually long term expats to visit the beach between 9-5 so doubt the governor will be taking you up on the offer
Posted by
Michael
on
March 6, 2015 10:44
I agree with Editor that Phuket needs a energetic visionary to make Phuket again attractive to tourist. Governors who just prior their full retirement are dropped for their last 2 year work as Phuket Governor are not such. For sure such 'last job' Governors are not fighting influential people who own jet skies. Phuket needs a Governor of young age, a fighter, who at least stays 10 years, with full back up of NCPO and Navy!
Posted by
Kurt
on
March 6, 2015 11:26
Dear Ed,
The best for you is going back to Australia. In my six weeks staying in Kata, I met a lot of Australiens. They come to Phuket because they thaught, there are sundbeds and umbrellas at the beach. Surprise, Surprise. What they found is a horror. You think you are in an overcrowded camping place. The poor old people are laying in the sand and everybody told me: "Never Phuket again!"
The most stupid thing was to give an award to "Cleaning the beaches".
I hope you will not loose your job, when
Phuket next year has 40 % less tourists.
The Europeans d'ont will come back !!!
Happy time in Australia.
Evelyn
Posted by
Evelyn Bauhofer
on
March 12, 2015 00:05
Editor Comment:
Hello Evelyn, Let's hope the governor and Phuket's administrators think about what will happen next high season when there are too many tourists to accommodate in the crazy ''10 percent zone.'' If they get it wrong - and they need to change their mindset pretty quick - it will be disastrous for Phuket. They are taking care of business but clueless about beaches.
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"A meeting yesterday confirmed" - or a few locals without any legal mandate decided?
Posted by Sherlock on March 5, 2015 12:20