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Shady Past, Shady Present of Patong's Beach Umbrellas: Photo Special
By Prasit Tarnsirisin Sunday, February 1, 2015
PHUKET: The 10 percent of Patong beach that umbrellas are permitted to occupy appears to have grown to about 40 percent, a Phuketwan reporter estimated on a visit to Phuket's most popular holiday spot.
Under the latest plan for compromising the clearances instigated by the military government in mid-2014, vendors are now everywhere to be seen, opportunists are dealing with the ban effortlessly, and tourists remain confused.
For many, all that has changed is that sand-level mats have replaced the ''traditional'' plastic sunbeds.
There appears to have been little point to the exercise because more umbrellas will be restored if the present arrangement is not enforced.
And according to Patong council officials, the present arrangement is for five 150-metre strips along Patong beach to delineate the 10 percent where umbrellas are permitted.
Beach arrangements on Phuket appear to be no clearer now than when the military took charge on May 22 last year.
It's still one step forward, two steps back . . . and most of those steps are being taken by the umbrella vendors across the Patong sands.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
change is inevitable, yes, no argument on that, but like many predicted it is "change" heading back to where it was 12 months ago. Money and corruption always seems to win.
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
February 1, 2015 14:36
I saw the same sign on Kata beach but there were no people there? What is this sign for, rental of umbrella, massage, fish and chips, boom boom in local hotel, probably all plus an expensive taxi ride thrown in. Locals really need to realise now with the internet being widely available they can't rip off tourists so much anymore. In reality little has changed in Phuket, greed still runs coldly through the veins of the locals.
Posted by
Feisty Farang
on
February 1, 2015 14:54
The same in Kata special in front of Kata Beatch Resort and officers rest off the beach + selling beer ,Vodka +++
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
February 1, 2015 15:52
Why turn Karon Polisen head when they see something illegal every day at Kata beach ? A think we ned the Army back to clear every thing, every thing is back close to the same fore 1 year since.
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
February 1, 2015 16:00
Great place for a holiday for a week or two, but when you live here and see the corruption, greed and in some cases stubbornness just for the point of it you understand why in 2015 there is still no healthy mains drinking water and indeed only mains sewage in towns not in the suburbs where we have our own wells and septic tanks and this is meant to be one of the top tourist islands. My electricity goes off and when I call they tell me the problem is "You stay in area where they use much electric" In most countries this would be classed as staged development, shorthand more heavy duty cables. Here same same.....excuses I get are as above, plant fell on high voltage cable, transformer, they are working on the line (without telling me) big rain. Well they get big rain in many countries but the electricity stays on.
Posted by
Feisty Farang
on
February 1, 2015 16:55
Ha! Like herding cats... impossible trying to manage Thai vendors, as they simply cannot distinguish right from wrong. Patong was a solid swath of umbrellas today... couldn't get out fast enough.
Posted by
Ed Sanders
on
February 1, 2015 17:38
A big congratulation to all, who campaigned for this. Very clever done, you should be proud of yourselves.
Posted by
Sherlock
on
February 1, 2015 19:01
There are about 40 umbrellas in front of the boat house and ReKata , no space for the guests to walk through so it is not so easy to get to the water . And no poor Thai beach worker , they are from Burma .
Just another disaster in the making .
Posted by
Tony Kenny
on
February 1, 2015 19:59
Area zoning don't work here vendors jet skis or anything else given one inch they take miles or simply disregard.
Posted by
slickmelb
on
February 1, 2015 20:00
Editor Comment:
Leadership is not about findig a compromise to fit every challenge but about sorting right from wrong. Sadly, compromise has done Phuket almost as much harm as corruption.
Saw identical sign @ Karon the other day with surfboard next to it but not much else. No people. Vendors though but not interested in dangerous fish hooks etc...usual. Like photo? Glasses?
Posted by
Anonymous
on
February 2, 2015 00:28
Ed Sanders "Patong was a swathe of umbrellas today"
Did all of these umbrellas have people sitting under them protecting their skin from the sun? If they did, what's the problem? Lots of visitors to Phuket taking sensible precautions. Ok a vendor makes some money on a public beach but its better than no tourists or tourists developing skin cancer.
Posted by
Richard
on
February 2, 2015 16:55
@Richard... No Richard, they didn't have people under them... their "turf" was staked out just as before, only now there are only mats, not plastic beds. And if you went to set your own towel down, just just might have got sand kicked in your face. I have no problems with people bringing umbrellas... they (umbrellas) have been here much longer than me.
Posted by
Ed Sanders
on
February 3, 2015 01:49
@Ed Thanks for the clarification.
I have been on Patong Beech (opposite Baan Thai Beech, Baan Lai Mai hotels)every year for the past 5 years and staying for 3 weeks. There was always room for people to sit on the sand if they preferred not to use, and/or pay for, a sunbed. I never saw any kind of intimidation directed towards these people from the vendors. Perhaps it has started happening since the attempted clear up because the vendors are struggling.
I have followed and contributed to this ongoing debate and I think I can now better understand both sides of the argument.
Non Thai residents want to use the beeches from time to time without the vendors getting in the way and also without them making money for their "masters". Many tourists want to relax on the beach most of the day and the majority want a sunbed and shade and were happy to pay 100 bhat.
It shouldn't be beyond the wit of the authorities to come up with a plan that satisfies everyone. No sunbeds within 20 meters of high tide would be a start and, I think we are all agreed, no jetskis.
Posted by
Richard
on
February 3, 2015 16:44
Editor Comment:
The project has a way to go yet. If the hope is to give Phuket back some of the world's best beaches, then the ban on all commercial activities should stay in place and be enforced. If the aim is to provide an income for locals, the clearances were pointless.
We always talk about the occupation zones for the umbrellas but never from the extantion areas for jetski. Why?
These operators must to be have a very, very long arms to be able to do what they want. Why the authority does not intervene?
Posted by
Manu
on
February 3, 2015 22:05
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change is inevitable, yes, no argument on that, but like many predicted it is "change" heading back to where it was 12 months ago. Money and corruption always seems to win.
Posted by Laurie Howells on February 1, 2015 14:36