PHUKET: A crackdown by the Royal Thai Navy and other officials along a Phuket beach today exposed continuing problems with the island governor's plan to compromise the military's ban on commercial activity on the sand.
Complaints are believed to have come from former vendors who feel left outside Governor Nisit Jansomwong's ''10 percent zone'' experiment.
Tourists were asked today at Phuket's Kata beach whether the chairs they were on had been hired or whether they'd bought their own. They were also told that alcohol was banned on all of Phuket's beaches.
The sweep along Kata beach by the Navy's Captain Borwarn Promdawnga and about 20 other local police and Kata-Karon council officials proved just how difficult it will be to enforce tany regulations along Phuket's tourist west coast when the high season from November brings visitors in much greater numbers.
Today at Kata beach, the swoop found three tents set up that were not in the local council's ''10 percent zone'' plan.
Large signs were not on the shorefront explaining the complicated ''10 percent'' arrangement - the council had taken the signs down for safety to avoid the high winds of the monsoon season.
Tourists are not likely to read the signs anyway. There were visitors at Kata today who had to be told that drinking beer or other alcohol was banned.
Vendors were found along the beach selling alcohol from coolers.
It also became plain at Kata today that local vendors who were once able to operate on the beach will continue to fight with other vendors who have been fortunate enough to become part of Governor Nisit's ''10 percent zone'' scheme.
As long as there is commerce on the beaches under the ''10 percent zone,'' there will be competition for sales.
A surfboard hirer operating outside the zone was told today that he would have to register and move within the zone, even though he made the point that his business is a monsoon season business that does not operate during the tranquil high season.
Many critics have pointed out that scores of jet-skis are being permitted to continue to operate on Phuket's beaches but non-polluting surfboard hirers are banned unless they become part of the ''10 percent zone'' system.
The struggle for vendors to win back their old income source is going to continue through the coming high season from November to April, and beyond.
Enforcing the beach regulations will become a daily necessity.
Yet the chaos at Phuket's Patong beach already shows to the satisfaction of Phuketwan that any compromise proposal along the lines of the governor's ''10 percent zone'' scheme makes enforcement extremely difficult.
Without an Army - or a Navy - of enforcers, the experiment cannot work at Phuket's most popular beaches.
Tourists did discover today, however, that if they bring their own beach chairs, there's no problem.
Phuketwan believes all commerce should be banned from Phuket beaches, including jet-skis, but tourists should be allowed to bring their own umbrellas, sunbeds or chairs and other equipment.
Complaints are believed to have come from former vendors who feel left outside Governor Nisit Jansomwong's ''10 percent zone'' experiment.
Tourists were asked today at Phuket's Kata beach whether the chairs they were on had been hired or whether they'd bought their own. They were also told that alcohol was banned on all of Phuket's beaches.
The sweep along Kata beach by the Navy's Captain Borwarn Promdawnga and about 20 other local police and Kata-Karon council officials proved just how difficult it will be to enforce tany regulations along Phuket's tourist west coast when the high season from November brings visitors in much greater numbers.
Today at Kata beach, the swoop found three tents set up that were not in the local council's ''10 percent zone'' plan.
Large signs were not on the shorefront explaining the complicated ''10 percent'' arrangement - the council had taken the signs down for safety to avoid the high winds of the monsoon season.
Tourists are not likely to read the signs anyway. There were visitors at Kata today who had to be told that drinking beer or other alcohol was banned.
Vendors were found along the beach selling alcohol from coolers.
It also became plain at Kata today that local vendors who were once able to operate on the beach will continue to fight with other vendors who have been fortunate enough to become part of Governor Nisit's ''10 percent zone'' scheme.
As long as there is commerce on the beaches under the ''10 percent zone,'' there will be competition for sales.
A surfboard hirer operating outside the zone was told today that he would have to register and move within the zone, even though he made the point that his business is a monsoon season business that does not operate during the tranquil high season.
Many critics have pointed out that scores of jet-skis are being permitted to continue to operate on Phuket's beaches but non-polluting surfboard hirers are banned unless they become part of the ''10 percent zone'' system.
The struggle for vendors to win back their old income source is going to continue through the coming high season from November to April, and beyond.
Enforcing the beach regulations will become a daily necessity.
Yet the chaos at Phuket's Patong beach already shows to the satisfaction of Phuketwan that any compromise proposal along the lines of the governor's ''10 percent zone'' scheme makes enforcement extremely difficult.
Without an Army - or a Navy - of enforcers, the experiment cannot work at Phuket's most popular beaches.
Tourists did discover today, however, that if they bring their own beach chairs, there's no problem.
Phuketwan believes all commerce should be banned from Phuket beaches, including jet-skis, but tourists should be allowed to bring their own umbrellas, sunbeds or chairs and other equipment.
No beer on the beaches? There goes the Aussie market. Seriously though it just gets worse and the high season is only a couple of months away. Someone needs to step up. I assume that needs to be the Governor
Posted by Davemc60 on September 4, 2015 04:15
Editor Comment:
Alcohol is certainly likely to be banned.