Smoking ban: Hua Hin says 2,000 baht fine would be reasonable as "beach police" at the ready

[geriatrickid]

On 10/11/2017 at 2:47 AM, miamiman123 said:

Those horses defecating on the beach is much more dangerous. I would not walk or sit down there. There was a foreign teacher who sat on the beach in HH. Got her butt and legs infected w parasites. Very very sick ...had return home for treatment. Never came back. 

She must have made medical history as  humans contracting parasites from horse dung is unique. I am unable to locate one case of a verified parasite transmission in the manner you describe. The fact is that horse manure is one of the least likely substances to give rise to the type of parasite you describe.  It is rare to see  horse manure on the beach  because  it is picked up by the  attendants and the little that remains is quickly desiccated and rendered harmless by the hot sun. Horse manure is mostly water and  undigested  seeds and hay and other fibers. This is why it is relatively low in offensive odor generating potential. 

 

Assuming your story is even true, if this woman contracted a parasite it might have been because she had an open wound and walked through one of the  runoff puddles so common along the roadways. Or, more likely, she was exposed to the raw sewage runoff that occurs. There is a polluted klong that drains directly into the beach  midpoint that flows through the illegal restaurants which features illegal sunbeds  often placed right up to the water's edge.  

 

This then brings us full circle. The municipality intends to enforce a smoking ban on the beach,  but tolerates the presence of illegal commercial activities, specifically the ;

- Illegal restaurants who have no right to operate on the beach and who's cooking facilities do not meet the hygiene requirements of Thailand and who illegally serve  alcohol because they do not have an alcohol license since it is illegal to sell alcohol on the beach.

- Illegal jetskis and motorboat rentals
- Illegal reservation of  large tracts of the beach for the multiple kite surfing businesses who are illegaly operating because it is illegal to operate a business on the beach.

- Illegal dumping of sewage and pool runoff from the hotels and condos, with one large facility on some days illegally pumping  thousands of liters of untreated liquid directly onto the beach. 

- the presence of  opportunistic vendor pests who illegally sell their wares to beach goers.

 

And yet we are all supposed to take this threat seriously. As mentioned earlier  in the thread, Thais will be exempt from enforcement. Only farangs will be targeted, when we  have all seen that some of the worst offenders are the Thais, particularly the ones who  eat on the beach and leave their garbage including their cigarette butts behind.

 

 

 

 

[jimster]

On 10/11/2017 at 11:28 AM, impulse said:

 

AFAIK, smoking isn't illegal there.  At least, I've never heard of anyone getting fined for smoking outdoors.  Dropping cigarette butts on the ground is what gets foreigners fined on Sukhumvit.

 

Agreed and it's Asians (particularly Chinese and Japanese) that still smoke like chimneys though I have noticed there is a falling trend. And these people do get caught for littering just as much as any western (including Russian) smokers are. Thai smokers not sure - few young Thai men still smoke but for some reason despite Thailand's anti-smoking laws being as stringent as many western countries quite a few blue collar Thai men, especially those who are middle aged or older still smoke. Seems like those diseased lung images aren't working on them...

[jimster]

On 10/13/2017 at 10:42 AM, geriatrickid said:

She must have made medical history as  humans contracting parasites from horse dung is unique. I am unable to locate one case of a verified parasite transmission in the manner you describe. The fact is that horse manure is one of the least likely substances to give rise to the type of parasite you describe.  It is rare to see  horse manure on the beach  because  it is picked up by the  attendants and the little that remains is quickly desiccated and rendered harmless by the hot sun. Horse manure is mostly water and  undigested  seeds and hay and other fibers. This is why it is relatively low in offensive odor generating potential. 

 

Assuming your story is even true, if this woman contracted a parasite it might have been because she had an open wound and walked through one of the  runoff puddles so common along the roadways. Or, more likely, she was exposed to the raw sewage runoff that occurs. There is a polluted klong that drains directly into the beach  midpoint that flows through the illegal restaurants which features illegal sunbeds  often placed right up to the water's edge.  

 

This then brings us full circle. The municipality intends to enforce a smoking ban on the beach,  but tolerates the presence of illegal commercial activities, specifically the ;

- Illegal restaurants who have no right to operate on the beach and who's cooking facilities do not meet the hygiene requirements of Thailand and who illegally serve  alcohol because they do not have an alcohol license since it is illegal to sell alcohol on the beach.

- Illegal jetskis and motorboat rentals
- Illegal reservation of  large tracts of the beach for the multiple kite surfing businesses who are illegaly operating because it is illegal to operate a business on the beach.

- Illegal dumping of sewage and pool runoff from the hotels and condos, with one large facility on some days illegally pumping  thousands of liters of untreated liquid directly onto the beach. 

- the presence of  opportunistic vendor pests who illegally sell their wares to beach goers.

 

And yet we are all supposed to take this threat seriously. As mentioned earlier  in the thread, Thais will be exempt from enforcement. Only farangs will be targeted, when we  have all seen that some of the worst offenders are the Thais, particularly the ones who  eat on the beach and leave their garbage including their cigarette butts behind.

 

 

 

 

It will take some time, but Thailand is changing. It wasn't until last year that speed limit signs and speed cameras were installed on many major roads, but they are now popping up more and more and some driving habits are slowly changing as a result. Give it 5 more years and it will be like Australia.

 

I think the same can be said about these other things you mention - I do hope that environmental protection will become a priority rather than government simply making up and enforcing so many laws you can't do business anymore. Personally I don't have a problem with motorboats and jetskis provided they stay at certain beaches and don't make their way to others - that way you have a choice - either Pattaya with all the noise and action or somewhere more quiet like say Trat, Prachuab (not Hua Hin) or anywhere down towards the Malaysian border. Ditto for "restaurants" operating on the beach, locals are just making a living - but with that come responsibilities like ensuring there is no negative environmental impact.

 

I have no opinion on the sale of alcohol on the beach although I think the current operating hour restrictions are kind of ridiculous; unless it's a tourist beach no one will question you drinking beer on a beach though. So be careful at Jomtien and Phuket, but no one will care if it's some random beach in Chantaburi or Trat provinces.

[owl sees all]

On 11/10/2560 at 1:47 PM, miamiman123 said:

Those horses defecating on the beach is much more dangerous. I would not walk or sit down there. There was a foreign teacher who sat on the beach in HH. Got her butt and legs infected w parasites. Very very sick ...had return home for treatment. Never came back. 

I heard about this too.

 

She eventually lost a leg and the fingers on her right hand. Had to have rectum surgery. Got the sack from her job. Her hubby divorced her. The children left. House was hit by tornado (no insurance).

 

Evidently she engaged a Thai lawyer to sue the horse owners, who after charging her 1,000,000 baht, dropped her as his client stating that the case was 'just too messy to continue'.

 

The last thing I heard was that she went to work on a horse farm where she got kicked in the one good leg, which then had to be amputated due to infection setting in. She died on her birthday going to Burger King on her customised skate-board.

 

Her headstone reads; "beware of horse poo poo."

 

Very sad tale from LOL.

 

[Just Weird]

.

 

[Just Weird]

On 10/11/2017 at 1:01 PM, Destiny1990 said:

Hua hin how about those horses shitting on the beach? 

The owners clear it away.

[Just Weird]

On 10/11/2017 at 6:07 PM, garbolino said:

and just HOW MANY people have been fined???

...for smoking?...none, it's not illegal.

[Just Weird]

On 10/11/2017 at 7:52 PM, hocuspocus said:

Some dickheads in Chiang Mai can be seen smoking in bars close to the 2000 Baht no smoking sign and when I tell them to stop because it is affecting my pregnant wife they will just not stop and are prepared to get abusive towards you over this. If I see someone in a bar smoking it is my choice weather or not to go in the bar or not but when you are already in the bar and the idiots come in smoking then I feel I am justified in telling them to stop.

You're not justified in telling them to stop, and that could be why they refuse (along with the fact that the bar owner obviously allows customers to smoke) but you are justified in asking them to stop, big difference. 

 

Maybe you and your pregnant wife should not patronise bars where  smoking is allowed by the owner?

[Just Weird]

On 10/12/2017 at 6:29 PM, the guest said:

Why just the beaches ?

To stop dirty buggers leaving their dog ends in the sand, off-beach areas are already covered by fines for dropping dog ends.

[mogandave]

You're not justified in telling them to stop, and that could be why they refuse (along with the fact that the bar owner obviously allows customers to smoke) but you are justified in asking them to stop, big difference. 
 
Maybe you and your pregnant wife should not patronise bars where  smoking is allowed by the owner?

Out bar-hopping with a pregnant wife and worried about second hand smoke, how funny is that?

[owl sees all]

11 minutes ago, mogandave said:

Out bar-hopping with a pregnant wife and worried about second hand smoke, how funny is that?

 

Please be careful with wife inhaling smoke. If it's really bad get her to wear one of those lightweight masks..

 

The problem with these things; like fag smoke and farts, is that when they are inside they belong to us. Upon release they belong to everyone.

 

Which poses the question; what is more environmentally damaging, the smoke or the discarded fag-butt?

 

Interesting debate! 

[owl sees all]

20 hours ago, Just Weird said:

The owners clear it away.

You do mean the owners of the horses JW. 

 

I have to take issue with this JW. Some years ago I saw some horses doing their stuff and no-one cleared it away. I went and bought a spade and bucket but when I got back I couldn't see it anywhere. i just went back to my fishing off the peir.

 

This lady got up and I observed that she had sat on the poo poo (that's why i couldn't see it I thought; just bad luck for her). However she ran into the sea to clean herself and I thought no more of it until I heard,,,,

 

On 11/10/2560 at 1:47 PM, miamiman123 said:

Those horses defecating on the beach is much more dangerous. I would not walk or sit down there. There was a foreign teacher who sat on the beach in HH. Got her butt and legs infected w parasites. Very very sick ...had return home for treatment. Never came back. 

I also call into question the actual data from the authorities. My own research concludes that as little as 3000 butts or as many as 3 million could be present in that stretch.

 

 

 

 

[Just Weird]

13 hours ago, owl sees all said:

You do mean the owners of the horses JW. 

 

I have to take issue with this JW. Some years ago I saw some horses doing their stuff and no-one cleared it away. I went and bought a spade and bucket but when I got back I couldn't see it anywhere. i just went back to my fishing off the peir.

 

This lady got up and I observed that she had sat on the poo poo (that's why i couldn't see it I thought; just bad luck for her). However she ran into the sea to clean herself and I thought no more of it until I heard,,,,

"You do mean the owners of the horses JW"

I mean those who are in charge of them on the beach.  Those people have been regulated for many years on Hua Hin beach and they all carry plastic bags for removing the manure.

 

"Some years ago I saw some horses doing their stuff..."

Really?  Wow, that's unusual, a multi-horse defecation party.

 

"This lady got up and I observed that she had sat on the poo poo.."

Yeah, right, of course she had.  Sorry, I thought your comment was serious until I read that bit.

 

 

[ripley]

Dear "The Owl Sees All" -  Have laughed my arse off reading your comments. Suggest you write a book. 

I'm serious.

[YetAnother]

On 10/11/2017 at 9:54 AM, webfact said:

A representative of the Hua Hin authority has indicated that he thinks a 2,000 baht fine would be reasonable for smokers caught puffing on the resorts beaches next month.

that's just hearsay, there is nothing enforceable about that; people are taking this as the new law when it isn't

[the guest]

On 10/11/2017 at 12:50 PM, dotpoom said:

Personally, I think Thailand has a very low smoking population. I don't go into bars but I can go for a week here (and longer) without coming across a smoker.

    Now Europe....you would need a gas mask in many ares.

Really, any evidence to support that rather sweeping statement ?