Foxes and henhouses springs to mind. Nice to see so called progress but will this flounder just like everything else. For a change i took the bus along the beach the other day and from the Holiday Inn to bangla every spot was filled with rental vehicles and bikes. yes there are signs up but they all allow rental parking and NO private parking despite previous promises. You have to get as far as Loma park to find a few non-tuk tuk free spaces.

Posted by Mister Ree on August 7, 2011 14:26

HA HA HA

Posted by Scunner on August 7, 2011 18:08

3 person teams ON 8HR SHIFTS is that going to be 7 days or can this crack squad get a day off, surely Mr Mayor the police can and should patrol the area and enforce the laws of the country that is what they are paid to do after all .The poor little men / women you are going to deploy in their no doubt ill-fitting uniforms and shoes will hardly strike fear into the thugs who are creating havoc on patong beach. These poor guys will be easily intimidated or open to graft from these crooks as they will no doubt be paid peanuts so why not up the police presence, a man with your pull must be able to get more police assigned to phuket and especially Thailand's cash cow PATONG beach , rather than relying on your team of 9 untouchables [ see Chicago mob 1930's].

Posted by Scunner on August 7, 2011 18:35

Maybe this patrol team might also notice that just one resort (about in the middle of the beach) has built a fixed structure ON the beach, which is home to their "Restaurant & Lounge Bar", quite annoying if you are walking up and down the beach at high tide. If you don't want to get wet, you almost have to walk through their bar or dark deck chairs. Why are they allowed to set up wooden chairs? They were banned after the Tsunami, but well, this was a few years ago...

Posted by Fritz Pinguin on August 7, 2011 19:05

It's a great plan, a welcome plan, but the Mayor's going to learn the hard way that he doesn't have any power. I feel bad for his 3 person teams being left to fend for themselves against 10-14 person teams of opposing jet ski crooks.

Posted by JingJing on August 7, 2011 19:30

Jing-Jing if you examine your comment the full analysis of the rubric lays itself out. This Mayor has been there a long time and is well aware of what he can accomplish and can not. There is nothing he will learn that he does not already know. Since Scunner, Mister Ree, Fritz and you have pointed out obvious flaws and concern areas with reasonably simple alternate solutions it would not seem a stretch to deduce that either this plan will never take effect or if it does there is an alternative intention. I don't think this is a jaded position, you stated as much in your post.

Posted by Martin on August 7, 2011 20:18

Congratulations Mr. Pian!
But it was a little late by then!
You want to close the door of the stable when the horses have already gone! But, better late than never!

Posted by Mario on August 7, 2011 20:23

So sorry Mr ED I just couldn't stop myself won't happen again old bean.

Posted by Scunner on August 7, 2011 21:38

Martin, there is a new lady sheriff in uptown. That changed. Otherwise surely looks like a potemkins beach control.

Posted by Lena on August 8, 2011 02:20

Ooo a Potemkin reference! Lena, I have known K. Pian and most of the current Patong Officials for many years. He is nothing if not savvy and a survivor. He made a few false steps with the former PM who now has nothing to do with the government. I don't think he will repeat those errors. I am not suggesting that there is evil intent here, just that logically this seems to be something other than it's face value. Pun intended.

Posted by Martin on August 8, 2011 15:42

Maybe things are changing, but Mr. Rhee is on the money.
Good luck to these patrols. A thankless job.

Posted by GiantFan on August 8, 2011 19:01

While you're at it, do something about the beachfront parking. It should be PUBLIC parking! And allow for other transportation options like songtews and real taxis. Like that will ever happen.

Posted by Ed sow wow on August 9, 2011 13:38

Fritz- a little digging would reveal the owner of the hotel in question then it would all make sense!!!

Posted by Mister Ree on August 10, 2011 11:10

Wow, where to start? Obviously, Khun Pian is well aware that the 3 man squads aren't a complete solution, so the question is: what are they?

You might infer that they are just a beginning, a harbinger/symbol of a more co-ordinated effort to come. But if they're unable to reign in the jet-ski scams, the bullying by tuk tuk drivers over beach front parking, the unlicensed deckchair operations, they become worse than doing nothing at all - they become a symbol of the impotence of the Phuket police.

You can have a co-ordinated effort by existing authorities (although that's hampered by the fact that many people in existing authorities are doing quite nicely thank you out of the present arrangements). You can have a new authority, comprised of people outside the Phuket web of corruption, although (a) this would need to be funded to the tune of hundreds of millions of baht a year and (b) it will take at least a couple of years to set up and will be opposed and delayed by some notable local politicians every step of the way.

In essence, whoever it is needs simply to apply the law. Ah, but it's not that simple, surely? Actually, it is. No one operates jet-ski businesses without a licence or insurance. If they do, their jet skis are impounded or scrapped. If their tax isn't in order, their jet skis are impounded and sold.

If tuk tuk drivers are hogging spaces to which they have no right, they're arrested and charged. Oh and their vehicles are impounded and they have to pay to get them back.

The template isn't Elliott Ness's Untouchables, the template is Rudy Giuliani's zero tolerance. If someone is breaking the law, they're taken to court. If they're operating illegally, they're stopped. It ain't rocket surgery.

Posted by Doug on August 10, 2011 11:13

We have been holidaying at Patong Beach for years and have always loved it, we returned yesterday from our latest holiday, but we will not be returning to Patong to stay. We were horrified by the changes (not good) in the last 12 months. We had garbage wrapped around our legs after wading into the water, and the beach is a garbage dump, this didn't used to happen! I was dragged into the surf by the paraflying rope and they did not even notice, they just don't care anymore. The footpath (if that is what it is) along the beach side of the road is no longer safe as it has been taken over by scooters. On Wednesday we watched the police obviously having a blitz on wearing helmets, pulling people over, but two operators pulling jetskis not wearing helmets were ignored! They only pulled over those where the drivers were not wearing helmets but this did not apply to passengers. In one instance the driver and his wife were wearing helmets and their two very small children were not (4 on a bike), who is more vulnerable?. The traffic has increased so much and there do not seen to be any road rules at all, it is now becoming nearly impossible to cross any streets safely, even though there a some (faded) street crossings, scooters and vehicles ignore them. In future we will not be staying in Patong but will go further down the coast. If the drivers start killing the tourist they will stop coming and what will happen to Patong's economy? We will no longer recommend visiting Patong to friends...

Posted by Saddened on August 12, 2011 05:56