Patong Beach To Be Renovated And Restored

[george]

Patong beach to be renovated and restored

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Phuket provincial authorities have agreed to renovate and reorganise the resort island’s top tourist attraction -- the Patong Beach -- after being devastated by massive tsunamis waves nearly two weeks ago.

Under the restoration plan, many buildings which have blocked the scenic view of the famous Patong Beach for years will be demolished.

New buildings will not be permitted to be built within 15 metres from the beach.

The road system will also be redesigned to ease traffic congestion in the

busiest area.

Car parks and an electric rail system will also be built to service tourists who want to travel around the Patong area.

Small beach businesses, including beach chairs renting, drinking stalls and massage booths, will be zoned in order to keep the beach organised and clean.

After the redesign of Patong has been drawn up, the local authorities will open it to public opinions.

“The cooperation of local residents, business owners and people in the service sector is important, and we will listen to every group before the plan is implemented", a senior municipal official told journalists.

--TNA 2005-01-07

[taxexile]

Car parks and an electric rail system will also be built to service tourists who want to travel around the Patong area.

will that be the end of the beloved tuk-tuk taxis that made patong such a misery for visitors.

[RDN]

What fantastic news! There may be some good to come out of this disaster after all.

I await the "public opinions" stage with interest.

Top of my list are:

1. Get rid of tuk-tuks and allow metered taxis.

2. Make public car parking spacing available ONLY to the public, and not to the "rent-a -jeep" and "rent-a-bike" Mafia who used to use up 80% of all spaces running their "businesses'.

3. Widen the beach road (Thawiwong) - this will help taxis cruising for customers and remove the need for narrow tuk-tuks.

4. No buildings between the road and the beach south of Bangla Road

5. This one: "Small beach businesses, including beach chairs renting, drinking stalls and massage booths, will be zoned in order to keep the beach organised and clean." is just brilliant.

Will any of this happen? if it does, will it be policed? Or will this be just more rules that can be bought off? Time will tell.

Edited January 8, 2005 by RDN

[kasi]

I'd love to see a monorail system between patong, karon, chalong reducing the numbers hideous smoke belching tour busses.

[Patriot]

Car parks and an electric rail system will also be built to service tourists who want to travel around the Patong area.

will that be the end of the beloved tuk-tuk taxis that made patong such a misery for visitors.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At the risk of sounding an anachronism, out of respect for our Thai hosts (and especially for the numbers of Muslims who visit the beach) could we ban topless sunbathing ?

[RDN]

I'd love to see a monorail system between patong, karon, chalong ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Remember that Simpson's episode about the monorail? With Homer as the driver?....

[LivinLOS]

The opportunity to widen, clean up and rid the beach road of rental touts and tuk tuks is here..

Will it happen ?? My bet with so many vested interests looking after those annoying downsides is that they will be back as ever.. Hope I am wrong.

[Patong Bob]

I'd love to see it, but I doubt that it will happen. Although their are signs prohibiting encroachment on the beach by business ( order signed 29th December) there were some jet skis back yesterday, and some of the illegal beachfront restaurants are being repaired, ready to re-open soon. We will see.....

[RDN]

I'd love to see it, but I doubt that it will happen.  Although their are signs prohibiting encroachment on the beach by business ( order signed 29th December) there were some jet skis back yesterday, and some of the illegal beachfront restaurants are being repaired, ready to re-open soon.  We will see.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about the jeep renters - are they back parking their jeeps in the public car parking spaces?

[fatter than harry]

Remember that Simpson's episode about the monorail? With Homer as the driver?....

I think that was more a Shelbyville idea...

Monorail, Monorail, Monorail!

[fatter than harry]

If I may add...

Monorail

Lyle Lanley: Well, sir, there's nothing on earth

Like a genuine,

Bona fide,

Electrified,

Six-car

Monorail!

What'd I say?

Ned Flanders: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: What's it called?

Patty+Selma: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: That's right! Monorail!

[crowd chants `Monorail' softly and rhythmically]

Miss Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud...

Lyle Lanley: It glides as softly as a cloud.

Apu: Is there a chance the track could bend?

Lyle Lanley: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.

Barney: What about us brain-dead slobs?

Lyle Lanley: You'll be given cushy jobs.

Abe: Were you sent here by the devil?

Lyle Lanley: No, good sir, I'm on the level.

Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can.

Lyle Lanley: Take my pen knife, my good man.

I swear it's Springfield's only choice...

Throw up your hands and raise your voice!

All: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: What's it called?

All: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: Once again...

All: Monorail!

Marge: But Main Street's still all cracked and broken...

Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!

All: Monorail!

Monorail!

Monorail!

[big finish]

Monorail!

Homer: Mono... D'oh!

[RDN]

Thanks FTH - just had a good chuckle!

And weren't there some other cracking ideas for spending this money? Like the giant escalator that went nowhere - the people at the top end all going "Aaaah!!" and "Waheyy!" as they fell off the top! What a cracker!

[kasi]

I must of missed that episode.

See what a good idea a monorail is!

Anything to loose those soot puking tour buses.

[george]

Phuket agrees to work with Patong vendors

PHUKET: -- The province and stall vendors have put aside a simmering row to work together on a plan to beautify Patong beach after the Dec 26 tsunami.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) held a forum yesterday with the architectural firm overseeing the beach redesign and 300 business owners, vendors, masseuses and tuk-tuk drivers to address the need to rehabilitate Patong beach.

Santichai Uajongprasit, the TAT deputy governor, said the new design would be mindful of safety, beauty and trade needs.

The blueprint would focus on the expanse of the beach and the beachfront road. The government would foot beautification costs, Mr Santichai said.

Traffic congestion on the beachfront road would be alleviated as part of efforts to keep Patong clean and orderly, he said.

Water sports and boat mooring points would be zoned and beach towers would be erected with lifeguards on duty to warn people of approaching danger from the sea, he said.

Casualties in the Dec 26 tsunamis were blamed on the lack of proper danger detection and warning systems.

Mr Santichai said there would be warning sirens and a system to evacuate 10,000 people in 30 minutes.

On the beach, sports and sunbathing zones would be separated. There would be fewer beachchairs to reduce overcrowding and the chairs would be arranged into groups at least 40 metres apart to enable evacuation.

The beachfront road would be repaved and utility cables would be place underground, he said. Commercial buildings demolished by the waves would be rebuilt and strengthened.

Governor Udomsak Assavarangkul said the landscaping plan might be bad news for some vendors, but he insisted it was necessary to woo tourists back.

Vendors who could not resume business would receive retraining assistance to allow them to switch jobs.

One vendor told the governor the new plan added insult to injury. He said the reduction in beachchairs would undermine service and tourists were not forced in any way to hire the chairs.

''It was their own choice,'' he said, adding beach services complemented Patong's image as a bustling beach teeming with entertainment activities. Its selling point is not serenity, he said.

Other vendors, however, agreed the municipality must regulate masseuses and tuk-tuk drivers.

Mr Santichai said all sides had agreement on the main points, such as making the beach less cluttered by removing about 5,000 of 7,000 beach chairs.

--Bangkok Post 2005-01-22

[fatter than harry]

No mention of the monorail...

[george]

Vendors appeal against 'smart Patong' plan

PATONG: -- Vendors and operators of other businesses have tried to persuade Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Santichai Euajongprasit and Patong Municipality Mayor Pian Keesin to allow them to trade on Patong Beach as they did before the tsunami.

Around 300 fishermen, jet ski owners, beach masseurs, renters of umbrellas and beach beds, motorbike rental businesses and beach vendors attended the meeting yesterday.

The traders have been barred from the beach since the tsunami, as part of the government’s plan to smarten up the beach. They will be allowed back eventually, but only in certain areas, and under the control of Patong Municipality.

The traders have received backing from Somkiat Kuru, former Deputy Mayor of Patong.

He said the renovation plan was for the benefit of the government alone, and does not reflect the reality of Patong.

He said, “They should ask the opinion of the public, maybe through a public hearing. The Patong of today is very different from the way it was 30 years or so ago.

“If Patong Municpiality wants to do this, it should do it fairly, and treat the hotels the same too.”

K. Somkiat was supported by Raksak Noochet, the President of Patong Municipal Council, who said that dividing the beach into “peaceful” and “activity” zones could restrict tourists’ freedom of movement.

He emphasized, “Some people may say that Patong Beach looks messy, but that is part of its charm. Tourists come to Patong because they love its style.”

--Phuket Gazette 2005-01-22

[mogster]

He said, “They should ask the opinion of the public, maybe through a public hearing. The Patong of today is very different from the way it was 30 years or so ago.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually we prefer it clean and natural!

If by the general public he means everyone who lives in Phuket, then all the vendors, jeep hire, and tuk tuk drivers would be OUT. Unfortunately, it will probably be a vote amongst only the vendors, jeep hire and tuk-tuk drivers, and they will get their way as usual.

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

Lisa Simpson also goes on to say that their town has no need for a mass-transit system. (I have the episode on DVD !)

Anyway, look....none of these schemes are likely to happen. There is a chasm in Thailand between talk and delivery.

ps The buildings that are being demolished in order to open up beach views. Views from where, may I ask ----- views from ...other buildings----owned by influential people?

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

The other Simpson idea in that episode was the giant magnifying glass.

Given how much people seem to loathe the idea of Thai people making a living on the beach - perhaps giant Thai hotel corporations could sponsor the giant magnifying glass in order to incinerate people offering beach massage etc.

After tha Bali bomb, it was the beach vendors who starved first - with the "Giant Magnifying Glass" we can put them out of their misery quicker !

(Personally I feel sorry for the beach vendors - give them a break!)

[fatter than harry]

(Personally I feel sorry for the beach vendors - give them a break!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite right, where else can I go when I need a 1/8th scale Harley Davidson Fatboy made out of wicker?