Phuket lifeguards ordered to pull down 'unsightly' beach station

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Phuket lifeguards ordered to pull down 'unsightly' beach station
Phuket Gazette


Karon Municipality officers have declared the lifeguard station on Karon Beach 'unsightly' and ordered it to be pulled down. Photo: Karon Municipality

PHUKET: -- Karon Municipality has decided to remove the Phuket lifeguard stand on Karon Beach on the grounds that it is unsightly and not fit for use.

“Karon municipality officers led by Karon Deputy Mayor Ittiporn Singkaew have inspected the lifeguard station. It does not look nice and it is not well organized,” Karon Municipality Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Weerasak Anekwongsawat explained.

“We have contacted Phuket Provincial Administration Organization [PPAO] about the messy facility and have requested they remove it,” Palad Weereasak told the Phuket Gazette today.

“I have ordered staff to pen a letter to order the station be removed from the beach. It will be sent to the lifeguards tomorrow.

“However, we will give them 30 days to remove the station as the PPAO need time to design and fund an improved facility,” he said.

“The lifeguard station is the PPAO's responsibility. Our duty is to make the beach nice and clean for tourists,” he added.

PPAO Tourism Department officer Nararit Touyon told the Gazette today she had been notified of the municipality's intention to have the lifeguard station pulled down.

“We will talk about this and find a solution. We will release news of developments as soon as we've figured out how best to proceed,” she said.

Uten Singsom, head lifeguard at Kata-Karon beaches defended the lifeguard station.

“My staff built this simple place with materials they found in the area because they need shade for themselves and for their life saving equipment," he told the Gazette.

“Karon’s Deputy Mayor came to see the station, but we have yet to receive any order to remove it. It is here because this is one of the most dangerous stretches of beach in Phuket,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-lifeguards-ordered-to-pull-down-unsightly-beach-station-22208.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-10

[chooka]

When it comes to architecture, it is not quite the Sydney Opera House or the Taj Mahal.

[Patje]

It looks like a beach bar where you can smoke local sea-weed . Rastafari man !!

[KarenBravo]

Just another example of the Thai trait of valuing looks over function.

[Jimi007]

Funny that the deputy mayor doesn't have any problem with all the "unsightly" taxi stands in the area...

[Old Croc]

I guess anywhere else, the local municipality would help build suitable premises while recognizing the extreme importance of the service.

[chooka]

I guess anywhere else, the local municipality would help build suitable premises while recognizing the extreme importance of the service.

Agree 100%

Also with all their talk about how they want tourists to feel safe whilst holidaying on the island the construction of a decent life saving club (with first aid station) would go a long way to installing confidence in guards also. At the moment they don't look very professional.

I watched a show a couple of months ago showing some of the Phuket lifeguards undergoing training on Bondi Beach, Australia and how the Deputy Australian Ambassador presented a cheque on behalf of the Australian people in 2011 (around 15K AUD raised from donations in Aust) to the Phuket life saving club to help construct facilities. I wonder what happened to this money surely they could have constructed something a little better than the one in the pic for around 450K baht.

I also believe that clubs from around Australia are still actively involved in projects like fund raising and training (little nippers club) for Thailand. Australia sends many tourists to the island and this benefits them also not just Thais.

[lee b]

Can't blame them, what a dump !! haha

[JulesMad]

Looks like a great hangout for a relaxed time and some spliffs

[Phronesis]

Why don't some of the dozens of farangs that these lads saved last month pony up a few dollars to build a proper tower.

[chooka]

Why don't some of the dozens of farangs that these lads saved last month pony up a few dollars to build a proper tower.

Australia gave them 15K AUD 2 yrs ago to do that, it sounds as tho they only had enough left over to build this humpy.

[marell]

It's not messy and built out of trash. It's environmentally compliant and constructed from re-purposed materials.

Edited September 10, 2013 by marell

[chooka]

It's not messy and built out of trash. It's environmentally compliant and constructed from re-purposed materials.

looks as tho it would topple over if someone burped.

[madmitch]

Just another example of the Thai trait of valuing looks over function.

I assume you are not referring to the current PM.

[Bagwan]

Let's have a Thai real life version of Baywatch. A few Pamela Anderson lookalikes would gladden the hearts of many.

[FireMedic]

It will always be amazing to me what the local officials think is "unsightly" to farangs. In respect to what garbage is actually on the beach, I'm ok with a shotty lifeguard house. I'm not ok with all the metric tons of actual trash and trashy types on the beach. Wouldn't it be great to put together a joint farang-thai clean up committee so everyone could at least agree what the expectations of each other really are.

[Traveling Sailor]

I guess anywhere else, the local municipality would help build suitable premises while recognizing the extreme importance of the service.

How true!

It reminds me a little bit of TV, where most just bitch and moan but don't do anything constructive.

[Phronesis]

It will always be amazing to me what the local officials think is "unsightly" to farangs. In respect to what garbage is actually on the beach, I'm ok with a shotty lifeguard house. I'm not ok with all the metric tons of actual trash and trashy types on the beach. Wouldn't it be great to put together a joint farang-thai clean up committee so everyone could at least agree what the expectations of each other really are.

Thai beaches, including Karon, are a marketplace. In a free market there is supply and demand. Suppliers generally heed the wants and needs of their customers in order to maintain sales. However, in Thailand, the suppliers don't give a damn about what the customers want or need. Thus, all the "quality" tourists have departed and the suppliers are left sitting on their parked up jet skis, scratching their lice infected heads and wondering what went wrong.

[osiboy]

I guess anywhere else, the local municipality would help build suitable premises while recognizing the extreme importance of the service.

Agree 100%

Also with all their talk about how they want tourists to feel safe whilst holidaying on the island the construction of a decent life saving club (with first aid station) would go a long way to installing confidence in guards also. At the moment they don't look very professional.

I watched a show a couple of months ago showing some of the Phuket lifeguards undergoing training on Bondi Beach, Australia and how the Deputy Australian Ambassador presented a cheque on behalf of the Australian people in 2011 (around 15K AUD raised from donations in Aust) to the Phuket life saving club to help construct facilities. I wonder what happened to this money surely they could have constructed something a little better than the one in the pic for around 450K baht.

I also believe that clubs from around Australia are still actively involved in projects like fund raising and training (little nippers club) for Thailand. Australia sends many tourists to the island and this benefits them also not just Thais.

some interesting obs , but why do western countries feel they have to donate to countries in Asia such as Thailand ? it's NOT a poor country , just a greedy and selfish one ,...if every hotel were taxed 1b per day per room, paying for crucial services like life guards would not be a problem , nor would having clean beaches . We pay for their training , then holiday in their country and are lucky enough to be bribed by the BIB and beaten up by taxi drivers . if they cant take care of tourists from their huge budget , they deserve the ultimate consequences .give thais an inch they will want a mile more

Edited September 11, 2013 by osiboy

[Phronesis]

I guess anywhere else, the local municipality would help build suitable premises while recognizing the extreme importance of the service.

Agree 100%

Also with all their talk about how they want tourists to feel safe whilst holidaying on the island the construction of a decent life saving club (with first aid station) would go a long way to installing confidence in guards also. At the moment they don't look very professional.

I watched a show a couple of months ago showing some of the Phuket lifeguards undergoing training on Bondi Beach, Australia and how the Deputy Australian Ambassador presented a cheque on behalf of the Australian people in 2011 (around 15K AUD raised from donations in Aust) to the Phuket life saving club to help construct facilities. I wonder what happened to this money surely they could have constructed something a little better than the one in the pic for around 450K baht.

I also believe that clubs from around Australia are still actively involved in projects like fund raising and training (little nippers club) for Thailand. Australia sends many tourists to the island and this benefits them also not just Thais.

some interesting obs , but why do western countries feel they have to donate to countries in Asia such as Thailand ? it's NOT a poor country , just a greedy and selfish one ,...if every hotel were taxed 1b per day per room, paying for crucial services like life guards would not be a problem , nor would having clean beaches . We pay for their training , then holiday in their country and are lucky enough to be bribed by the BIB and beaten up by taxi drivers . if they cant take care of tourists from their huge budget , they deserve the ultimate consequences .give thais an inch they will want a mile more

People donate primarily to feel good about themselves.

[madmitch]

I guess anywhere else, the local municipality would help build suitable premises while recognizing the extreme importance of the service.

Agree 100%

Also with all their talk about how they want tourists to feel safe whilst holidaying on the island the construction of a decent life saving club (with first aid station) would go a long way to installing confidence in guards also. At the moment they don't look very professional.

I watched a show a couple of months ago showing some of the Phuket lifeguards undergoing training on Bondi Beach, Australia and how the Deputy Australian Ambassador presented a cheque on behalf of the Australian people in 2011 (around 15K AUD raised from donations in Aust) to the Phuket life saving club to help construct facilities. I wonder what happened to this money surely they could have constructed something a little better than the one in the pic for around 450K baht.

I also believe that clubs from around Australia are still actively involved in projects like fund raising and training (little nippers club) for Thailand. Australia sends many tourists to the island and this benefits them also not just Thais.

some interesting obs , but why do western countries feel they have to donate to countries in Asia such as Thailand ? it's NOT a poor country , just a greedy and selfish one ,...if every hotel were taxed 1b per day per room, paying for crucial services like life guards would not be a problem , nor would having clean beaches . We pay for their training , then holiday in their country and are lucky enough to be bribed by the BIB and beaten up by taxi drivers . if they cant take care of tourists from their huge budget , they deserve the ultimate consequences .give thais an inch they will want a mile more

Hotels do pay a room tax............if they are properly registered.

Where does the money go? I haven't a clue. Does anyone know?

[chooka]

I guess anywhere else, the local municipality would help build suitable premises while recognizing the extreme importance of the service.

Agree 100%

Also with all their talk about how they want tourists to feel safe whilst holidaying on the island the construction of a decent life saving club (with first aid station) would go a long way to installing confidence in guards also. At the moment they don't look very professional.

I watched a show a couple of months ago showing some of the Phuket lifeguards undergoing training on Bondi Beach, Australia and how the Deputy Australian Ambassador presented a cheque on behalf of the Australian people in 2011 (around 15K AUD raised from donations in Aust) to the Phuket life saving club to help construct facilities. I wonder what happened to this money surely they could have constructed something a little better than the one in the pic for around 450K baht.

I also believe that clubs from around Australia are still actively involved in projects like fund raising and training (little nippers club) for Thailand. Australia sends many tourists to the island and this benefits them also not just Thais.

some interesting obs , but why do western countries feel they have to donate to countries in Asia such as Thailand ? it's NOT a poor country , just a greedy and selfish one ,...if every hotel were taxed 1b per day per room, paying for crucial services like life guards would not be a problem , nor would having clean beaches . We pay for their training , then holiday in their country and are lucky enough to be bribed by the BIB and beaten up by taxi drivers . if they cant take care of tourists from their huge budget , they deserve the ultimate consequences .give thais an inch they will want a mile more

People donate primarily to feel good about themselves.

possible, then what happens to the money?

[deesquared]

I think it looks cool. Gives the beach a very picturesque Thai look. I bet a lot of tourists have pictures of themselves standing in front of that hut.