No vendors to be allowed on Phuket’s Surin Beach

[webfact]

No vendors to be allowed on Phuket’s Surin Beach

Premkamon Ketsara

 

Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) MaAan Samran. Photo: Premkamon Ketsara

 

PHUKET: It was decided at a meeting held at 2pm on Friday (Dec 1) at the Thalang District Office that no vendors are to be allowed on Phuket’ Surin Beach with immediate effect.

 

The meeting, led by Cherng Talang Police Chief Col Serm Kwannimit, Commander Jatupon SaNgaNgam of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command and Mr Sakorn Pudam from the Phuket Marine Office, after more than 100 disgruntled local residents and beach operators on Nov 27 massed at Surin Beach to present a list of demands in the hopes of clearing up “misunderstandings” about alleged duplicity in allowing beach operators to serve tourists on the sands and to raise the standard of the beach so that it becomes more attractive to tourists.

 

Regardless, the list of demands presented on Nov 27 ranged issues far beyond beach vendors on the sand.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/no-vendors-to-be-allowed-on-phuket-surin-beach-64964.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-12-04

[NamKangMan]

 

Over 3 years of Thai military control, who promised to clean up the land / beach encroachment here, and they are still banging away about this issue.

 

Some may call it progress, but it's moving so slow it is a regress.  How ridiculous. 

[Get Real]

Ridiculous! It´s the vendors that is a part of the genuine Thailand. Now they try to move and take away theese people everywhere. Incredibly stupid!

[KarenBravo]

It was made "vendor-free" when the military government pronounced that all of Surin beach would become a "special" beach due to Rama IX's visit there in the late 1950's.

Therefore, why is this vendor issue even being discussed?

Just tell all vendors there that they are disrespecting the late king.

[helloagain]

38 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Over 3 years of Thai military control, who promised to clean up the land / beach encroachment here, and they are still banging away about this issue.

 

Some may call it progress, but it's moving so slow it is a regress.  How ridiculous. 

Carpark has so many food vendors and they are hugh

[PremiumLane]

Why can't they just plan it properly with the vendors involved - come up with a solution that is good for tourism and the people working. 

 

Nothing wrong with having vendors to serve food etc. what makes the beaches in Thailand great 

[Artben]

No vendors, no chairs, no umbrellas no me

[Mysterion]

1 hour ago, Artben said:

No vendors, no chairs, no umbrellas no me

Most people probably prefer a beach in its natural state, rather than having a bunch of encroaching restaurants and jetski/parachute businesses who don’t pay any rent or have any rules and responsibilities.

 

Its easy and cheap enough to buy a couple of foldable beach chairs and a portable umbrella and have a nice picnic on a relatively natural quiet beach.

 

Surin beach would be almost perfect if they now cleanup the remains of the demolition and most importantly... ensured that any water discharge is actually treated first.

Edited December 4, 2017 by Mysterion

[Lokie]

3 hours ago, Mysterion said:

Most people probably prefer a beach in its natural state, rather than having a bunch of encroaching restaurants and jetski/parachute businesses who don’t pay any rent or have any rules and responsibilities.

 

Its easy and cheap enough to buy a couple of foldable beach chairs and a portable umbrella and have a nice picnic on a relatively natural quiet beach.

 

Surin beach would be almost perfect if they now cleanup the remains of the demolition and most importantly... ensured that any water discharge is actually treated first.

Most people I know from Patong area used to enjoy going to Surin as it was a cool place to hang out, nice beach and plenty of nice places to have a beer and shoot the breeze, now no one bothers, its a dump compared to what it was (the legalities of what it was is another issue) so I don 't know where you get the 'Most people prefer a beach in natural state' bit from, all peeps i know want vendors to buy drinks and food from. Only people I know who fit your bill are the grumpy expat lot on here who harp on about a lost paradise here in Phuket for christ sake 555 

 

Don't mix the Jet ski and parasailing mob in with the food and drinks guys, different ball game altogether and you can bet your boots the above rule will not apply to them if it ever comes in lol

 

About ten years ago my first time at Surin I thought Wow! what a nice place... last time I was there (about two months ago) I thought three things:

1. what a shame

2. Glad I did not buy a condo in Surin back then before it became a dump

3. Where do all the people who are now lay about on them awful inflatable monstrosities goes to take a pi $$...?

 

If thats progress then your welcome to it, all they had to do was legalise the business there if they was illeagle and charge rents, talk about shooting yourself in the foot and they continue every week in Phuky... way to go!

[beechbum]

6 hours ago, Lokie said:

Most people I know from Patong area used to enjoy going to Surin as it was a cool place to hang out, nice beach and plenty of nice places to have a beer and shoot the breeze, now no one bothers, its a dump compared to what it was (the legalities of what it was is another issue) so I don 't know where you get the 'Most people prefer a beach in natural state' bit from, all peeps i know want vendors to buy drinks and food from. Only people I know who fit your bill are the grumpy expat lot on here who harp on about a lost paradise here in Phuket for christ sake 555 

 

Don't mix the Jet ski and parasailing mob in with the food and drinks guys, different ball game altogether and you can bet your boots the above rule will not apply to them if it ever comes in lol

 

About ten years ago my first time at Surin I thought Wow! what a nice place... last time I was there (about two months ago) I thought three things:

1. what a shame

2. Glad I did not buy a condo in Surin back then before it became a dump

3. Where do all the people who are now lay about on them awful inflatable monstrosities goes to take a pi $$...?

 

If thats progress then your welcome to it, all they had to do was legalise the business there if they was illeagle and charge rents, talk about shooting yourself in the foot and they continue every week in Phuky... way to go!

So your friends that live in Patong arent happy with Surin and call it a dump...

[Coconut Kidd]

13 hours ago, Lokie said:

Only people I know who fit your bill are the grumpy expat lot on here who harp on about a lost paradise here in Phuket for christ sake 555 

I don't know anyone that fits that description including myself. I prefer a clean beach free from any vendor of any sort. A clean free restroom 80-100 meters off beach is sufficient along with parking in the same area.

 

I suppose vendors could set up in a parking area if controlled, but we all know how that works. Give them an inch and they take a mile, so I say slap them all down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Coconut Kidd

[geriatrickid]

12 hours ago, Artben said:

No vendors, no chairs, no umbrellas no me

No vendors, no chairs, no umbrella  helps control the trash created by the sales of food and booze to the people in the chairs. More importantly, the  restriction opens the beach to everyone. The chair vendors monopolize the best parts of the beach and make it difficult for people who don't want  a chair to use the beach. This is what happened at Patong Beach.   Surin Beach is upscale and is  targeting higher quality users. The exclusion of commercial  operations  responds to the tackiness  that the vendors bring.  

 

You would perhaps be more comfortable down at one of the lower end beaches, say patong.  The last time I was there. 90 jetskis were packed in along with 5+ para boats and their reserved spaces on the beach. Perhaps, with luck, someone else will fall out of the sky and provide some ooos and ahhh opportunities for the crowd.

[Ulic]

Just an opening shot across the bow. Part of the negotiations to establish

how much they will have to pay for beach access. 

[Lokie]

8 hours ago, beechbum said:

So your friends that live in Patong arent happy with Surin and call it a dump...

Exactly 100%, don't quote out of context though, Surin beach as I posted above was a really nice great place to spend a day, it had the Wow factor and now? The only Wow factor is Wat da Funk???

 

So as my post; people who know what it used to be like and what it has now become just ride on by Surin beach. Yes Patong is not good re the beach arrangements and standards I walk Patong beach every morning the full length but do not spend any other time there anymore 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Lokie

[beechbum]

51 minutes ago, Lokie said:

people who know what it used to be like and what it has now become just ride on by Surin beach

There's a lot of us that have lived here a very long time that know well what it was like before and don't mind the vendors not being there, but i dont pretend to speak for everybody.

[Coconut Kidd]

IMHO it has more to do with what you grew up with.

 

Many Europeans enjoyed the thousands of umbrellas and vendors at many beaches.

 

I grew up on the US West Coast. No vendors.........NONE. Pure beach, clean. That is what I prefer.

 

 

[DrDave]

On 12/4/2017 at 1:50 AM, PremiumLane said:

Why can't they just plan it properly with the vendors involved - come up with a solution that is good for tourism and the people working. 

 

Nothing wrong with having vendors to serve food etc. what makes the beaches in Thailand great 

The simple answer is that none of the officials that would be responsible for the beach can be trusted to manage the process in an honest and transparent manner. History tells us that the temptation of backhanders is just too much for these people to resist.

[Mysterion]

 

Lokie,

 

There are many that appreciate/prefer a more natural clean beach, and there are some  that prefer a beach full of uncontrolled vendors and chairs and fast food shops etc.

 

Based on your posts, it appears that patong beach is probably best for you now, and thats ok. Enjoy it!

Edited December 5, 2017 by Mysterion

[Lokie]

3 hours ago, Mysterion said:

 

Lokie,

 

There are many that appreciate/prefer a more natural clean beach, and there are some  that prefer a beach full of uncontrolled vendors and chairs and fast food shops etc.

 

Based on your posts, it appears that patong beach is probably best for you now, and thats ok. Enjoy it!

Mysterion,

You stated most people prefer a natural beach I simply said people I know from Patong who used to enjoy Surin now do not bother as it has become a dump compared with what it was - Thats a fact, more to do with the facilities just of the beach at Surin than the actual beach itself in that location. 

 

I agree with the term 'many' you use above as it can be said that 'many' also like to have vendors on hand.

 

As for uncontrolled then we are all in agreement that they should not be allowed.

 

A few years back Patong beach was a lot busier and cleaner as the vendors looked after their areas, I personally never had any problems with them they provided a good service. As Coconut Kid has mentioned; some people (mainly european) are brought up on busy beaches with plenty of vendors and sun loungers/parasols while others (US/Ozzie) on quieter beaches, I think that is a good point.

 

Your last sentence is complete tripe as it is evident that Patong beach is in a sorry state hence why a lot of people in Patong go to other beaches on the island to enjoy the beach.

 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Lokie

[Lokie]

5 hours ago, beechbum said:

 but i dont pretend to speak for everybody.

and neither do I...

[Mysterion]

6 hours ago, Coconut Kidd said:

IMHO it has more to do with what you grew up with.

 

Many Europeans enjoyed the thousands of umbrellas and vendors at many beaches.

 

I grew up on the US West Coast. No vendors.........NONE. Pure beach, clean. That is what I prefer.

 

 

I suspect that most europeans would love experiencing a beach that is more natural,  cleaner, and less crowded. 

 

Sadly most European beach destinations are extremely overcrowded in the warmer months.

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Mysterion

[Mysterion]

47 minutes ago, Lokie said:

Mysterion,

You stated most people prefer a natural beach I simply said people I know from Patong who used to enjoy Surin now do not bother as it has become a dump compared with what it was - Thats a fact, more to do with the facilities just of the beach at Surin than the actual beach itself in that location. 

 

I agree with the term 'many' you use above as it can be said that 'many' also like to have vendors on hand.

 

As for uncontrolled then we are all in agreement that they should not be allowed.

 

A few years back Patong beach was a lot busier and cleaner as the vendors looked after their areas, I personally never had any problems with them they provided a good service. As Coconut Kid has mentioned; some people (mainly european) are brought up on busy beaches with plenty of vendors and sun loungers/parasols while others (US/Ozzie) on quieter beaches, I think that is a good point.

 

Your last sentence is complete tripe as it is evident that Patong beach is in a sorry state hence why a lot of people in Patong go to other beaches on the island to enjoy the beach.

 

 

As Surin does not meet your requirments anymore, what is your favorite beach in Phuket now?

 

[Oziex1]

On 12/4/2017 at 2:21 PM, helloagain said:

Carpark has so many food vendors and they are hugh

"Carpark has so many food vendors and they are hugh"

 

Any one else involved or just Hugh, unlikely name for a Thai.

 

Was Thaipo involved.

[Lokie]

14 hours ago, Mysterion said:

 

As Surin does not meet your requirments anymore, what is your favorite beach in Phuket now?

 

Out of the larger beaches then I would say north end of Bangtao just passed Laguna's area, reason is beach is nice and there is good eating and hang out areas (which is my point about Surin, it was a place that used to have some great hang outs to have a beer in nice surroundings, yes it became clear these were illegal establishments but they were good places for tourists/beach users) have you been their recently to Surin? The area where the illegal places were are now covered in crappy parasols with vendors still selling food/drink and horrid giant inflatables that people sit/lie upon on the beach, no place really to use the bathroom (bar one restaurant at south end, how is that still allowed to be there?) - that is not an improvement as to what it was say ten years ago surely?

 

For a smaller beach then going further north 'Banana beach' (south of Naithon) have always thought thats a beautiful place but blink and you'll miss it at top of the wine-dy coast road near the bendy S bends on way down towards Naithon (there is a small sign you can just about park your bikes up there then a bit of a Trek down but well worth it)

 

Or heading south then Nui Beach is (IMO) one of the nicest beaches that I take new visitors to Phuket. Need transport for both but they are worth it. I walk Patong everyday for exercise, I am not bashing Phuket I love the place.

 

So to answer your question it would be Nui beach as it is clean and so is the water but you can get a drink etc and is a nice place to hang out

Edited December 6, 2017 by Lokie