Resorts North Of Phuket Lose Beachfront To Raging Sea

[webfact]

Resorts north of Phuket lose beachfront to raging sea
Phuket Gazette


SANDS OF TIME: Resort owners and the local mayor north of Khao Lak have turned to the Phang Nga Governor for help. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Waves two meters high have caused damage along 13 kilometers of beachfront at Bang Niang Beach in Phang Nga.

The coastal erosion has forced at least one hotel owner to set up sandbags to protect against the sea and prompted the local mayor to call for help from the Phang Nga Governor.

“Hotels in the area were damaged and a wall on the beachfront was destroyed by very high seas,” said Sawat Tankeng, the mayor of Khukkhak Municipality, who went to inspect the damage on Tuesday.

“Local hotel owners had to set up sandbags to protect their property from the waves,” he said, “and they are complaining that the beach disappeared.”

“There is no beachfront for tourists because the waves eroded the shoreline,” said Chatree Laopiyasakul, the owner of Ayara Villas.

“There used to be 40 meters of sand between the land and the water, but now tourists are complaining that there is no beach to play on,” Mr Chatree said.

Shambhala Khaolak Resort owner Varunee Khomkla also complained that the beach in front of her hotel had disappeared.

“We had to bring in sandbags to protect our resort,” she said.

Mayor Sawat said that he had reported the problem to the governor, and is now awaiting a reply as to what assistance may be provided.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Resorts-north-of-Phuket-lose-beachfront-to-raging-sea-21063.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-16

[JetsetBkk]

There used to be 40 meters of sand between the land and the water, but now tourists are complaining that there is no beach to play on, Mr Chatree said.

Well, these resort owners obviously had plenty of warning that erosion was taking place. Pity they didn't do something about it sooner.

[PhuketdashScuba]

I was there at the beach end of April. At that point swimming in Kata was still very safe, but I did not dare go into the water there with my kid more than 1 foot deep. Very strong currents and IMO very dangerous see there.

[laislica]

Thal'll teach em Not to build within at least 100 M of the water line.

[colinneil]

Som nam na

[grumpyoldman]

I was there at the beach end of April. At that point swimming in Kata was still very safe, but I did not dare go into the water there with my kid more than 1 foot deep. Very strong currents and IMO very dangerous see there.

Kata........Khao Lak............sure, same same but different

[mikecwm]

It appears that if you live by the sea you can expect the beach to disappear eventually - and then your land and house.
It's happening all up the East coast of England.
My wife took me to a beach she used to go to as a kid - 25km north of Cha-am - Hat Puek Tian, only to find all the sand gone and hundreds of holiday rentals almost completely empty. Several tower blocks for Thai families were also declining into a post apocalyptic condition - all thanks to the sand having been washed away and no-one interested in paying to stay there.
I believe it's called 'Geology in action'.

Edited May 17, 2013 by mikecwm

[stevenl]

I was there at the beach end of April. At that point swimming in Kata was still very safe, but I did not dare go into the water there with my kid more than 1 foot deep. Very strong currents and IMO very dangerous see there.

Kata........Khao Lak............sure, same same but different

Exactly, very different, which was pointed out in that post.

[Xonax]

It looked exactly like the photo, when I was there 5 years ago, so nothing new about the beach erosion. Just build the same protection as the neighbour, though it may be illegal to build such a construction on the beach. Going back to Khao Lak next month, I certainly hope, that my beachfront rental is not under water.

[whiteman]

It looked exactly like the photo, when I was there 5 years ago, so nothing new about the beach erosion. Just build the same protection as the neighbour, though it may be illegal to build such a construction on the beach. Going back to Khao Lak next month, I certainly hope, that my beachfront rental is not under water.

Why worry you one rent it if it is then move along and rent again it is the thai persons problem for a change

[keestha]

Since at least when I settled in Khao Lak 13 years ago, the high water line has been moving further and further inland. Beachfront land owners build walls, but the water then comes in from the side, or finds its way under the wall, washing away the sand, so that in the end the wall is standing alone on the beach for some time before inevitably collapsing. The only system that works is a not too steeply sloping dike made of rocks or concrete.