EBlair48

Hmmm.

Wish there was a middle ground (no pun intended). Maybe it's time to buy a picnic hamper and cool box!

Excellent idea, and bring a towel or folding chair, sit under the trees for shade. Working well here on Kata beach, plenty tourists on towels, some even have folding chairs. Vendors carrying cold drinks from m/bike on the roadside.

Took a gander on Layan near the " marine park" today and saw a pack of dogs pissing on the tourist's towels. And the pine trees are beautiful, but not the ants that live under them The disco music was as loud and as annoying as ever even 100 meters away.

Sure miss frozen margaritas with salted rims, and my favorite cashew chicken lunch I always enjoyed. All the the vendor had was low budget ice cream, chips, coke like beverages and that gross flavored milk stuff . I did notice a new pile of trash right at the entrance consisting mostly of that vendor's trash judging from the ice cream wrappers.

BTW Whay is no one concerned the Jet skis thugs are still operating on the beaches?

It ain't no paradise

Next please clean up the officials- namely the guy on the right, who allowed it to happen.

Of course they never received and kind of financial incentive to allow it.

Those serving huts are on the sand. The path and signs are attempts to block access albeit do nothing of the kind as one can walk throug scrub to the left or right. However the buildings 2 k to the north being torn down today are behind the treeline, too. So was the ReggaeBbar and the line of restaurants to the north.

Why does Banyan get to privatize that area, but not others?

Because it's private land. They obviously are legal or they would be gone. Not preferable treatment here.

I might add they provide jobs and pay taxes.

Nikki beach was your target last time and they uave been proven to be on private land also.

Stop turning this into a class thing.

And how does Nikki Beach get away with violating height restrictions in zone 1 ? And why is a loud disco allowed to operate at the door of a Marine Park? Permission could have been denied and would have anywhere where govt officials actually do their jobs protecting the public. I had the Cherng Telay head permitting officer shake his head and do the giggle when I asked him these questions. " The big guy ( mayor) signed off on it.."

Eblari48, are you a card carrying member of the party? Your propanda against the "elite" sure makes it seem so. BTW, dropping an anonymous tip to the hotline either via a throwaway email address or a free airport sim card would probably not land you in jail for dissenting.

Pro panda? Well I have mixed feelings using a lot of resources to save a species that really hasn't got any kind of survival skills, eating just one kind of leaf for instance and really has no niche it fills in a food chain....

(Sorry, could not resist.)

I see quite clearly that their has been a war declared on Thailand's working classes. You seem to agree with the premises of these actions it but if you cannot see it for what it is, to argue with you would be to describe a colour to a blind man.

I actually have made complaints to the email using my real name and address, and on other issues too no response whatsoever from any govt authority, ever. Doubt the mails were even opened. They care less even less about what whitey thinks than they do their own working classes.

Ahhhh. So the war against working class thais continues as the mega rich bangkok owners of the indigo pearl cash in on some free land clearance.

Has the constuction halted at Pullman yet.

No...didn't think so.

Keep banging on btb! Now, why don't you go ahead and drop your pearls of wisdom to the anonymous hotlines, or better yet, go speak to the military directly while they are at the beaches doing the bulldozing.

Would be a bit risky. Aren't they arresting and reprogramming dissenters? I believe it is now against the law to cast dispersions upon the now militarized elite's activities.

^^

So some of that strip is private, and others are not? That doesn't seem right, or some businesses were merely squatters So where are the owners? Hard to see owners of that extremely valuable land ignoring it. And how are squatters on private land anyone's business but the owner? The Reggae bar for instance, ongoing for over 10 years... as a squatter?

^ Yes I agree thefts and robberies will increase. Thousands of jobs have just evaporated and no matter what numbers various officials make up tourism is down and will not get better with these kind of actions taking place.

The elite are now fully militarized.

I was told that the strip of land west of the road running from Nikki beach to just after the turn into the Laguna complex is private land. There is a beachfront plot with chanote for sale right at the t junction when you come out from Laguna and turn right to go to Nikki or left to go up to where lotus was. If what I was told is correct then the entire strip is private so if they are knocking down buildings there it's because they violate the high tide mark or the height restrictions.

Many of those restaurants north of Banyan Tree were only one story. However Nikki Beach which is on private land,( apparently) is about 3 stories

From Phuket News today about Nai Yang..

^ Thank you... My point is plenty of foreigners enjoys the lax enforcement for themselves, but have no sympathy for these people now out of work, and homes, Probably about 100 people, at least lived behind their businesses.

What really backs up my theory this is a war on the poor is about 1 k north (I just posted these on another pic thread but will here too;) The Banyon tree has about 100 meters of the beach blocked off for it's usage, no entrance signs on the public road blocking access and has several small restaurants operating and sunbeds for its guests.

Private 1.JPG Private 2.JPG

And yes, this is my idea of a great place to vacation Elite No Problem.JPG

But then again about 2 k north of Banyan Tree, tear down is commencing of the private, small businesses..

Bang Tao Aug 19 041.JPG

Sorry, I still don't feel sorry for any of them. I lease my house, I have a wife that I've been with for 5 and a half years. I have a proper visa. They did not have proper land titles and they were using public land as their own. Can't you understand that? Why feel sorry for people that knew what they were doing was illegal? I still wonder what ever happened to the Tiger Disco fire case where people died. I'm guessing they paid to make it go away?

And if the local Or Bor Whores sanction beach vendors with permits, and I know for a fact they do as I applied for one myself no too long ago, ( story in corruption there, too...) then how is one to know it is illegal?

These vendors should initiate a class action suit, except all courts are under martial law now, so.... no options.

It is a recipe for insurrection.

If you don't know the beach to the high water mark is the King's land, then you must not know much about Thailand. I was always pissed off about it and complained to locals about it, no one cared, they were happy just using and trashing the land for their profit. Now, Som Num Na! Karma can be quick here in Thailand. Best to do what you know is right, not what you may get way with.

My entire premise is locals were sanctioned by local govt officials in way of permits (or whatever.. )

And until those officials are ALSO held accountable I will maintain the recent actions are unfair.

^ Thank you... My point is plenty of foreigners enjoys the lax enforcement for themselves, but have no sympathy for these people now out of work, and homes, Probably about 100 people, at least lived behind their businesses.

What really backs up my theory this is a war on the poor is about 1 k north (I just posted these on another pic thread but will here too;) The Banyon tree has about 100 meters of the beach blocked off for it's usage, no entrance signs on the public road blocking access and has several small restaurants operating and sunbeds for its guests.

Private 1.JPG Private 2.JPG

And yes, this is my idea of a great place to vacation Elite No Problem.JPG

But then again about 2 k north of Banyan Tree, tear down is commencing of the private, small businesses..

Bang Tao Aug 19 041.JPG

Sorry, I still don't feel sorry for any of them. I lease my house, I have a wife that I've been with for 5 and a half years. I have a proper visa. They did not have proper land titles and they were using public land as their own. Can't you understand that? Why feel sorry for people that knew what they were doing was illegal? I still wonder what ever happened to the Tiger Disco fire case where people died. I'm guessing they paid to make it go away?

And if the local Or Bor Whores sanction beach vendors with permits, and I know for a fact they do as I applied for one myself no too long ago, ( story in corruption there, too...) then how is one to know it is illegal?

These vendors should initiate a class action suit, except all courts are under martial law now, so.... no options.

It is a recipe for insurrection.

I find it highly amusing those posts arguing passionately for " good corruption " - the kind that benefits their creature comforts.

To tackle all corruption - slash and burn and start with a clean slate (beach) for a few months while the displaced vendors find a new job or go home.

Then introduce regulated minimal "services" on a transparent basis (with continuing military oversight if necessary) with the licence fees going to lifeguard services, beach cleaning and parking access.

P.S.

If they can do it on Phuket they can do it anywhere.

As they follow the money more corrupt officials are being exposed higher up the money tree without a pathway to buy their way out

Sorry if I am misreading your post, but no officials on Phuket are being charged for allowing the encroachment. A vice mayor in Kata Beach has been charged with some taxi related charges and that is it.

Say goodbye to your sun chair, umbrella and cold drink because there is new sheriff in town.

Whenever I hear this kind of complaining, I chock it up to pure selfishness. I want what I want. I don't care about the ecological impact of what I do.

They're insane for taking away my sun chair!!! What about the tourists? The horror!

The people renting you a chair were operating a business illegally on public land. They were paying the people whose job it was to protect the land (who were turning around and selling it).

I have no empathy for them or you. This is the best thing that ever happened to Thailand. They should be taking out all those structures that have illegally encroached the beaches all along the coast. There are plenty of them in Hua Hin that should and will be coming down. Good riddance. Finally, someone put a stop to the encroachment, the illegal businesses and the corruption.

Sorry buddy. The only thing on the King's beach... sand. Insane, right?

Yeah !! And then they need to further enforce laws and go after all the foreigners holding land illegally with nominees, (and don't forget those who gave their spouses the money to buy land, 'cause that's illegal, too.) And don't stop there, the lady-boy/ girlie bars all need to be shut down, the prostitute buying foreigners arrested, deported and forced to register as sex criminals. [facetious smiley]

Being highly sarcastic, I know but really if the unenforced laws and corruption are to be tackled, might want to be careful what you wish for..

Wonder if this is related, vendor on Bang-Tao Beach road next to Banyan Tree

Those serving huts are on the sand. The path and signs are attempts to block access albeit do nothing of the kind as one can walk throug scrub to the left or right. However the buildings 2 k to the north being torn down today are behind the treeline, too. So was the ReggaeBbar and the line of restaurants to the north.

Why does Banyan get to privatize that area, but not others?

^ My pleasure. I know they cannot block access but their loungers are in place on the sand as are small serving huts and the paving, lighting and landscaping remains intact.

^ Thank you... My point is plenty of foreigners enjoys the lax enforcement for themselves, but have no sympathy for these people now out of work, and homes, Probably about 100 people, at least lived behind their businesses.

What really backs up my theory this is a war on the poor is about 1 k north (I just posted these on another pic thread but will here too;) The Banyon tree has about 100 meters of the beach blocked off for it's usage, no entrance signs on the public road blocking access and has several small restaurants operating and sunbeds for its guests.

And yes, this is my idea of a great place to vacation

But then again about 2 k north of Banyan Tree, tear down is commencing of the private, small businesses..

Pics taken one hour ago.

Door to.... Nowhere

27 people asked bad or good; 25 bad, 2 good ( The truck drivers )

Thumbs Up or Down? DOWN !!

Bang-Tao Beirut

Menus in the Sand

The ( Business ) Killing Fields

Don't Worry, The Sea will Clean it Up !!

Bar....None

And Now For Something Completely Different....

1 Kilometer North, No Problem for the Elite....

....And Religious Icons Enjoy Immunity, Too !

Oh Dear Let me try again..... I am using the examples as ILLUSTRATIONS of my point . Lot's of illegality here all the time, ( most ) everyone does it Paying pimps , paying accountants to use their family as nominees ,etc etc etc etc etc

so is it fair when suddenly laws are suddenly enforced with draconian punishments?

I base my opinion on lack of enforcement across the board, from traffic police to forest encroachment and visa rules, not just beach vendors.

I'd like to put forth a scenario to explain the sympathy I feel for these vendors and how I think this draconian action is unfair.

Prostitution is legal in Thailand but third party profit ( pimping) is not and I find that to be a sensible law. But it isn't enforced except sporadically in order to extort, (another example of the lack of civil ethos... )

Therefore the bar fine" and pimping situation going on in bars all over the country - hundreds of thousands times per day is illegal.

What if a bar was raided and the foreigners were rounded up arrested and had to spend time in jail, and then were deported where a number of them would have to register with their govt as sexual criminals for their " crime..". That's the law !!

Now they all knew it was illegal, but it went on for decades so they thought it was sanctioned. It wasn't " wrong" because everyone did it.

Would they deserve their punishment? I say no.

We are getting pretty off topic here! Prostitution is illegal in Thailand.

This is from Yahoo answers: Prostitution has been illegal in Thailand since 1960. The prohibition is, however, not strictly enforced. [/size]

The "Entertainment Places Act of 1966", still in effect today, makes it possible for Thais to render "special services". This is done, for example, by establishing such places as massage parlors where men come and look at women, who are sitting separated by a glass wall, and can pick and choose whom they want. The women come to the men's hotel room and massage them, but, in reality do more than that. It is usually left for the customer to decide what kind of special service he really wants, and because of that such establishments are able to avoid being designated as (illegal) brothels. [/size]

This act was designed to pave the way for brothels to be legalized under the guise of massage parlours, bars, night-clubs, tea-houses, etc. [/size]

The "Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act of 1996" outlawed the hiring of prostitutes under the age of 18, as well as people associating in prostitution establishments for the purpose of prostitution; the latter provision does not appear to be enforced.[/size]

I was using this as an example- something is illegal but everyone does it for decades then is it fair to single out a few to punish?

I'd like to put forth a scenario to explain the sympathy I feel for these vendors and how I think this draconian action is unfair.

Another example; If they start rounding up foreigners who use nominees to own land, or give their Thai spouse money to buy land in their name and begin prosecuting them, deporting and then forcing them to forever disclose they were involved in international money laundering.

Would that be fair

Incidentally Yes OT, but I disagree about your Yahoo link info.

Please see http://www.impowr.org/content/current-legal-framework-prostitution-thailand

And WIKI which cannot be posted here. The law is designed to discourage third party profit.

1. Penal Code Amendment Act

Thailand’s Penal Code6 does not explicitly state that prostitution is illegal in Thailand but prohibits any person from earning an income as a prostitute. Title IX, Section 286 of the Penal Code states:

“Any person, being over sixteen years of age, [sic] subsists on the earning of a prostitute, even if it is some part of her incomes [sic], shall be punished with imprisonment of seven to twenty years and fined of fourteen thousand to forty thousand Baht, or imprisonment for life.”7

Title IX, Section 286 of the Penal Code also appears to penalize any person who (i) is found residing or habitually associating with a prostitute, (ii) receives boarding, money or other benefits arranged for by a prostitute or (iii) assists any prostitute in a quarrel with a customer. However, it does not specify what the penalties are for such offenses.

- See more at: http://www.impowr.org/content/current-legal-framework-prostitution-thailand#sthash.amnCIUum.dpuf

Wiki is edited by uniformed sources. Prostitution is illegal here, period. Back when they posted crime statistics here in Phuket there were arrests every month for it. What does the American Bar Association know about Thai law? Sorry, but you are wrong and so is your source.

We will have to agree to disagree. However the point I was using prostitution as an example of...

Would it be fair to arrest foreigners who pay a bar fine to take a prostitute home?

And the nominee companies holding land, should they have their investments confiscated, homes demolished?

I went back by the scene today, It looks like Beirut with a dash of Syria. I didn't have my camera with me but I'll go back tomorrow- I cannot believe the enormous piles of debris left behind. There were a couple of British tourists looking for the Lotus restaurant who were absolutely stunned and very disappointed.

I actually found myself regretting my wishing for this to happen. It's really looked like a war zone and that is exactly what it is plus a lot of jobs lost and it really will take away from the beach experience. Will every single beach on Phuket , what about 15 or so ...really be just mile after mile of sand and nothing else?

I really think it was a mistake to do this in such a drastic fashion. Tourism will plummet- further. I have read the arguments," Thailand cannot police itself to allow some vendors..." and yes I have to agree and it why I have always had difficulty respecting a culture that has little civil ethos

I also feel a war coming on, a class war.

A lot of scammers and opportunists in tourist areas -- a common phenomenon in many countries -- does not equate to an entire culture having little civil ethos.

When you find a lot of scammers in San Francisco, Las Vegas, or Miami Beach do you make the same sweeping generalization about American culture?

I base my opinion on lack of enforcement across the board, from traffic police to forest encroachment and visa rules, not just beach vendors.

I'd like to put forth a scenario to explain the sympathy I feel for these vendors and how I think this draconian action is unfair.

Prostitution is legal in Thailand but third party profit ( pimping) is not and I find that to be a sensible law. But it isn't enforced except sporadically in order to extort, (another example of the lack of civil ethos... )

Therefore the bar fine" and pimping situation going on in bars all over the country - hundreds of thousands times per day is illegal.

What if a bar was raided and the foreigners were rounded up arrested and had to spend time in jail, and then were deported where a number of them would have to register with their govt as sexual criminals for their " crime..". That's the law !!

Now they all knew it was illegal, but it went on for decades so they thought it was sanctioned. It wasn't " wrong" because everyone did it.

Would they deserve their punishment? I say no.

We are getting pretty off topic here! Prostitution is illegal in Thailand.

This is from Yahoo answers: Prostitution has been illegal in Thailand since 1960. The prohibition is, however, not strictly enforced.

The "Entertainment Places Act of 1966", still in effect today, makes it possible for Thais to render "special services". This is done, for example, by establishing such places as massage parlors where men come and look at women, who are sitting separated by a glass wall, and can pick and choose whom they want. The women come to the men's hotel room and massage them, but, in reality do more than that. It is usually left for the customer to decide what kind of special service he really wants, and because of that such establishments are able to avoid being designated as (illegal) brothels.

This act was designed to pave the way for brothels to be legalized under the guise of massage parlours, bars, night-clubs, tea-houses, etc.

The "Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act of 1996" outlawed the hiring of prostitutes under the age of 18, as well as people associating in prostitution establishments for the purpose of prostitution; the latter provision does not appear to be enforced.

I was using this as an example- something is illegal but everyone does it for decades then is it fair to single out a few to punish?

I'd like to put forth a scenario to explain the sympathy I feel for these vendors and how I think this draconian action is unfair.

Another example; If they start rounding up foreigners who use nominees to own land, or give their Thai spouse money to buy land in their name and begin prosecuting them, deporting and then forcing them to forever disclose they were involved in international money laundering.

Would that be fair

Incidentally Yes OT, but I disagree about your Yahoo link info.

Please see http://www.impowr.org/content/current-legal-framework-prostitution-thailand

And WIKI which cannot be posted here. The law is designed to discourage third party profit.

^ I think the landscaping was in the way of the excavator.

Many of us actually have families here… And I don't put up with it. I've always know there were scams at Patong Immigration, so I don't go there. I only deal with Phuket Immigration, they give me a receipt for everything I do. I still don't have any problems with my visa extensions...

Make a family with a bargirl!? well well it's always interesting listen to the chatter when these families come and make extension together at immigration it's not really many positives tones, they don't really like us here..

Piss Off! Unbelievable! Do you know me? NO! Do you know my wife or her family? NO! We were married in California, as if it is any of your lame assed business! I already had my non immigrant visa long before I met my wonderful wife. Get a life as it seems you don't have one! I doubt you'll ever find even a GF that you won't pay to go away at the end of the night or morning here or anywhere else with an attitude like yours… Good luck with your buying a condo to acquire a long stay visa. Best way to lose money in Thailand, next to your bar girlfriends…

Read it again, the poster was rejecting the option of marriage for a visa.

Its good to see some of the more ' established ' businesses now being demolished. I do hope though that at some stage we see some of the local corrupt officials being prosecuted , that would really be a statement of intent.

I do not think this will happen. The Mayor of Cherng telay is acting as if  he has had nothing  to do with the he encroachment on Surin and Bang tao  and shows up at the demolitions yet  does anyone doubt he and his office did not profit massively ? 

This, above all else has me convinced this isn't about enforcing laws , bringing" happinees to the people ..." or any of the other rather dubious claims issued by NC3PO  but is a  war on working people.

 Are they inciting insurrection so they  can lock everyone up?   That's one way to win an election.

Demolishment isn't a word.

It may not be in your dictionary , but can you not ascertain its meaning? If so, then it is a word.