Mayor 'cannot'move businesses off Phuket's Surin Beach

[webfact]

Mayor 'cannot' move businesses off Phuket's Surin Beach
Wiparatana Nathalang


The Mayor of Cherng Talay, Ma-ann Samran.

PHUKET: -- The Mayor of Cherng Talay, Ma-ann Samran, this week admitted he cannot organise the messy businesses operating on Surin Beach, nor tackle the alleged encroachment on land next to the sand.

“I will not harm the local people even if I am ordered to do so.

“If my resignation would turn everything back in time and bring back pristine nature then I would resign.”

He explained, “Vice-Governor Jamroen Thippayapongtada set rules and regulations for organising Naiyang, Surin and Layan Beaches, but these did not solve the problem of encroachment.

“The land between the path and the beach should be returned to the public.

“But the only way I can achieve this is to allow the local people to have part of the land on the other side of the path to set up businesses and then ask for the return of the land next to the beach.”

After V/Gov Jamroen set the rules, Mr Ma-ann explained, a large warning sign was erected by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) ordering people to stop encroaching.

The DSI also issued notices to people building structures on the beach side of the path to stop doing so within 30 days and to remove the structures, in accordance with the Building Control Act.

If they did not comply, Mr Ma-ann explained, the notices warned people that the OrBorTor would remove the structures – for which the OrBorTor would have to pay.

“Some of the large businesses are still open because they went into business with local people but the ‘owners’ are still the same. The local people still have the right to use their lands for business.

“I cannot force local people to move because they could sue the OrBorTor.”

Although the land technically comes under the control of the OrBorTor, it cannot charge rent.

Mr Ma-ann said that originally the OrBorTor built two stores on the land on the east side of the path for the local people to sell food.

The OrBorTor later received funding from the central government to build 16 more stores in the same area for the use of local people.

“Because the OrBorJor used tax money [to build these], the OrBorTor had to charge rent.

“However, some time later, the Thalang District Officer ordered us to stop charging rent for these local stores because, he said, the OrBorTor did not have the right to make money from this land.

“He said we first needed to register the land under a NorSorLor [a document for State Land] in order to build these stores [in the first place] and permission from the Governor or the Director [of the Land Department] must be obtained in order to charge rent. This was not done.”

Mr Ma-ann has no intention of doing anything that might harm local people. He pointed to his election campaign slogan: “Build politics with morality and judgement for the happiness of the people.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/mayor-%E2%80%98cannot%E2%80%99-move-businesses-off-phukets-surin-beach-43567.php


-- Phuket News 2013-12-20

[NamKangMan]

What a mess.

[stevenl]

I really don't understand this article.

[NamKangMan]

I really don't understand this article.

I think it's about how to illegally encroach on land, and get away with it. :)

[clockman]

Its that unique Thainess! That the prime minister wanted to export!

Edited December 20, 2013 by clockman

[NamKangMan]

Its that unique Thainess! That the prime minister wanted to export!

Instead, it was he who ended up getting exported. :)

[eezergood]

I love his campain slogan! A true servant of the people!

[NamKangMan]

I love his campain slogan! A true servant of the people!

Yes. "Vote for me, and I will let you do what you want."

[JoeThePoster]

If my resignation would turn everything back in time and bring back pristine nature then I would resign.

Not gonna happen, so just do the next best thing, nothing.

[LivinginKata]

At least is not spouting BS about dealing with the problem blah blah balh

[NamKangMan]

At least is not spouting BS about dealing with the problem blah blah balh

What problem???? :)

[Card]

One word goes a long way in Thailand:

Coward.

[klauskunkel]

I really don't understand this article.

I help you out, it's really easy:

The OrBorTor didn't do the NorSorLor...

[JUDAS]

Now we know the identity of TV member "samran"

[GeorgeO]

Its that unique Thainess! That the prime minister wanted to export!

I thought it was Yingluck who wanted to export Thainess, not the Prime Minister..!

[Carrerakiss]

If Thailand wants a role model on how to develop a beachfront to cater for a large number of tourists and still have the ability to make money, they need look no further than Boracay. Yes, nature is under pressure there, but the beach front is still an attractive, clean and organized place. Even the coconut trees are regularly pruned to stop old leaves and coconuts falling onto tourists. There is no obvious sleeze on show and littering is taken very seriously to the extent of no smoking on the beach. I haven't seen anything like it in Thailand.

Nor will I, as Surin is an example of how Thailand develops its beachfront locations.....a mess. There was an excuse when Pattaya and Patong were going from a collection of mud huts to semi metropolis, people didn't know any better and it was just uncontrolled growth. But now Thai local government should know better. But they don't, not least because the first thing each newly elected administration does is cast around for how they can make money personally. Developing their particular part of the beach in the fastest possible way, is often the answer.

Sorry, rant over.

[steelepulse]

I love his campain slogan! A true servant of the people!

Yes. "Vote for me, and I will let you do what you want."

Let me edit that for you.

Yes. "Pay me, and I will let you do what you want"

[pogal]

Until Thailand has clearly defined laws, and a force that can competently and fairly enforce those laws, things will always be like this.

[Ulic]

The truth comes out the Mayor has no interest in moving the vendors. We will now see if the Vice Governor has the

juice to do so.

[12DrinkMore]

I love his campain slogan! A true servant of the people!

Yes. "Vote for me, and I will let you do what you want."

Let me edit that for you.

Yes. "Pay me, and I will let you do what you want"

This is quite possibly a bit of , "Interfere here and you know what could happen".

[belg]

paid to not do his job

once by the governement & many times by all the illegal businesses

so why would he, he is not complaining at all

check his financials, car, house, bank and see if it is in check with his salary

[tingtongteesood]

He must give them somewhere else -- rubbish ! If they are there illegally and they are a pain in the ass then tell them to leave and enforce it. Let them go and start a real legal business elsewhere...,

[Gregory Morozov]

Today my friend was not allowed to swim at Surin beach without renting a beach chair. She was told by a local beach boy "no rent, no swim". I asked other friends and some of them told me about similar encounters at Surin.

[eezergood]

Today my friend was not allowed to swim at Surin beach without renting a beach chair. She was told by a local beach boy "no rent, no swim". I asked other friends and some of them told me about similar encounters at Surin.

Tell them GFYS! Record these people & post on youtube.

[Soupdragon]

I don't see the problem with the restaurants and bars/clubs on that stretch of land. If anything I think they add appeal to the beach. What is a problem is the implied ownership of the beach in front of the businesses. I wonder if any payments are made to allow that to happen (rhetorical).

[NamKangMan]

Today my friend was not allowed to swim at Surin beach without renting a beach chair. She was told by a local beach boy "no rent, no swim". I asked other friends and some of them told me about similar encounters at Surin.

Financial times are tougher on Phuket now. They are going to come up with more BS and scams to make up for their lack of income, compared to the past.

The next scam will be, "Sun rent." (you will have to pay to rent the Thailand sunshine) :)

[JetsetBkk]

"If my resignation would turn everything back in time and bring back pristine nature then I would resign."

So resign and then we'll see what happens.