The Best Day Ever on Phuket

[Ulic]

Definitely a tip of the hat to the military. Well done.

[zaZa9]

0945 today Kamala Beach had only one structure left, and that was a massage tent just north of the police station.

Incorrect.

There are still a good many large structures/businesses at the north end of the beach passed the klong. For example the Kamala Go Surfing bar and associated structures, then several large beach club style lounges (that are funded/run by resorts back up in the hills), and then the Skyla bar at the far northern end. If these structures are not removed, it will be business as usual come next high season.

Incorrect.

The structures you refer to can in no way be construed by anyone , even your 'bulldozing' self , to be construed as "large"!

The Kamala Go Surfing sala is exactly that , a bamboo and grass affair that 6 people could easily carry away. And Skylas Bar , while not even on the sand , is starting to fall down of its own accord.

The rest are all bamboo affairs.

And on Surin Beach , 'Catch' , along with Diamond Beach and Bimis is coming down.

Its time to put up or shut up.

Look at the link , know it all , and then show a bit of humility...

http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-news-tv-going-going-gone-46905.php

[NamKangMan]

0945 today Kamala Beach had only one structure left, and that was a massage tent just north of the police station.

Incorrect.

There are still a good many large structures/businesses at the north end of the beach passed the klong. For example the Kamala Go Surfing bar and associated structures, then several large beach club style lounges (that are funded/run by resorts back up in the hills), and then the Skyla bar at the far northern end. If these structures are not removed, it will be business as usual come next high season.

Incorrect.

The structures you refer to can in no way be construed by anyone , even your 'bulldozing' self , to be construed as "large"!

The Kamala Go Surfing sala is exactly that , a bamboo and grass affair that 6 people could easily carry away. And Skylas Bar , while not even on the sand , is starting to fall down of its own accord.

The rest are all bamboo affairs.

And on Surin Beach , 'Catch' , along with Diamond Beach and Bimis is coming down.

Its time to put up or shut up.

Look at the link , know it all , and then show a bit of humility...

http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-news-tv-going-going-gone-46905.php

If one has to go, shouldn't they all have to go, regardless of size, portability and profitability? No exceptions.

After all, the fact that one was allowed to build, isn't that the reason they were all allowed to be built?

If they are on public land - they should be demolished.

[Old Croc]

Anyone remember this exchange between member Suave and the rather haughty manager of Catch a few months ago?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/653428-beach-access-on-surin-beach/?p=6642965

What a difference a coup makes! Well done Suave, you may just have helped bring change.

[LivinginKata]

I watched that Phuket News video report. The manager made no apology for illegally using beach land. Seemed to imply he rented from the 'owner' , mentioned that he was a 'local' many times, and was only sad that many jobs would be lost and no big money to be made. Pathetic.

[steelepulse]

I watched that Phuket News video report. The manager made no apology for illegally using beach land. Seemed to imply he rented from the 'owner' , mentioned that he was a 'local' many times, and was only sad that many jobs would be lost and no big money to be made. Pathetic.

I too watched that video and the "owner" certainly won't get any sympathy wearing a singlet with a 10 baht necklace.

Now after reading a further report, the "owner" is just someone that paid the local people a few baht that were given the land for free from the orbortor after the Tsunami. Good riddance to these greedy Bahtstards.

[Pinot]

It's tough to have any empathy for these whining locals.

Having a beer with the manager of a big resort in Kamala last night, he held the party line how this was all bad for "the tourist experience" (as I danced to the song "Happy"). He accused me of not understanding that the tourists want these convenient restaurants bars on the beach and it was an important part of the economy. How the local economy should be important to me if I want what's best for Thailand.

Cry me a river for the poor locals and the economy. After you get by the fact that all this encroachment was illegal and environmentally a disaster, NO ONE has a problem finding work on Phuket. This will have no impact on the local economy. It will impact these heartbroken landlords and club owners, who believe in their hearts, they stole the land fair and square.

All these structures were illegal and an environmental disaster, but they were important to the "tourist experience" in Thailand. Okay, got it.

[phuketrichard]

just back form Kamala

the photos i shot above are true still>>>
the huts an the surf club hut are still up at the north end of Kamala beach

wheres the army when they are needed??

[Bluedan]

The guy in the white singlet was in charge of the taxis on the Surin Beach hotel strip. He was also was the Landlord of The Diamond Beach Club land. To suggest that he is heart broken for people losing their jobs is a laugh.

The Kamala go sailing has also been told to dismantle their shack. This is a surf board and deck chair hire place run by the local surfing mafia who intimidate abuse and slash tires of local farangs wanting to surf there.

[stuarty]

Please report thes issues to the army. Momentum is being lost/

[simon43]

Please report thes issues to the army.

[//quote]

How? Does anyone have contact details? The telephone number given on the 'other' website belongs to a local doctor......

[KarenBravo]

Seems to me, momentum is being lost. Nothing about beaches south of Kamala, or north of Surin.

[NamKangMan]

Seems to me, momentum is being lost. Nothing about beaches south of Kamala, or north of Surin.

Also, no mention of addressing the transport issue here recently.

One would hope this was not just a PR stunt by the Army, in an attempt to restore the confidence of tourists, so they will return to Phuket.

[NamKangMan]

Please report thes issues to the army.

[//quote]

How? Does anyone have contact details? The telephone number given on the 'other' website belongs to a local doctor......

Perhaps a call to the PG for a follow-up story with the Army on their progress may reinvigorate them.

[dannoOnline]

I did a quick drive by Surin this morning and saw that Catch's beach bar and decking was gone, and Diamond was dismantling their structure on the beach side of the road.

It would be great to see a Phuket-wide solution for the taxis so they could pick up and drop off anyway on the island (and ideally use meters).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

It would be great to see a Phuket-wide solution for the taxis so they could pick up and drop off anyway on the island (and ideally use meters).

That would be the sensible solution, taxi could pick-up anywhere and not have to drive back to their designated stand empty. But we (the public) are stuck with this idea that a taxi stand has control of it's area and no other taxi can pick-up in that area. So the public has to pay at least double fare to compensate for the driver's time and fuel to drive back empty. If you ask me it's the controllers of the taxis who want the maximum number of taxis on the road = the controllers get more money.

[NamKangMan]

<snip>

It would be great to see a Phuket-wide solution for the taxis so they could pick up and drop off anyway on the island (and ideally use meters).

That would be the sensible solution, taxi could pick-up anywhere and not have to drive back to their designated stand empty. But we (the public) are stuck with this idea that a taxi stand has control of it's area and no other taxi can pick-up in that area. So the public has to pay at least double fare to compensate for the driver's time and fuel to drive back empty. If you ask me it's the controllers of the taxis who want the maximum number of taxis on the road = the controllers get more money.

"If you ask me it's the controllers of the taxis who want the maximum number of taxis on the road = the controllers get more money." - I agree.

The controler are the only winners in the great Phuket transport fiasco.

The customer loses - high prices, dangerous driving by the driver.

The driver loses - longer driving hours and half the fares.

The environment loses - more noise and air pollution.

The other road users lose - less parking spaces, more traffic causing damage to the roadways, more accidents causing injuries and death.

The Phuket tourism industry loses - due to all of the above.

Edited June 20, 2014 by NamKangMan

[stuarty]

Has Bangtao beach (lotus etc been cleared?) Back on topic, pl.

[Pinot]

Bangtao is in process. Should be cleaned up this week. Lots of poorly constucted illegal structures on the beach. I was there a week ago and they were taking them down. This week they're either off the beach or get a 100,000 baht fine. If Surin is any indication, everyone will tow the line. I'm very encouraged by what I see in Kamala as well.

Next up? Patong?

[stuarty]

Really? Including the Lotus and Tom Yum Goong (Bangtao) and the big Reggae Bar at Layan?

[NamKangMan]

Bangtao is in process. Should be cleaned up this week. Lots of poorly constucted illegal structures on the beach. I was there a week ago and they were taking them down. This week they're either off the beach or get a 100,000 baht fine. If Surin is any indication, everyone will tow the line. I'm very encouraged by what I see in Kamala as well.

Next up? Patong?

"Next up? Patong?" - the Army might have to call in reinforcements before taking on Patong. They might have to deploy a tank to Beach Road.

[Guest]

The are next to Kamala police station looked very different once all the beach hut restaurants had been cleared out.

Before the sea was not visible at all.

[phuketrichard]

Sunday 3 pm Surin beach looks so nice, all empty EXCEPT the club at the end has not started,

Kamala south of the Graveyard empty

north, same huts still on the beach an does not look like any one is doing anything about it

[Guest]

Kamala beach 2012 - 2014 (date on the picture is wrong, but I'm too lazy to change it anymore)

[phuketrichard]

yes the first shot is during high season when beach chairs are out

2nd is after they take them away

Looks same every year

still have the thai huts on the far left at the northern end of the beach under the trees next to the fence.

[Pinot]

Sunday 3 pm Surin beach looks so nice, all empty EXCEPT the club at the end has not started,

Kamala south of the Graveyard empty

north, same huts still on the beach an does not look like any one is doing anything about it

Walking Kamala today I saw a group of 20+ Army inspecting those huts on the beach. I see some in the tear down/salvage mode. It's happening. I think the fines are about to go into effect.

I don't expect Patong to be any more difficult than Surin or Kamala was i.e. nothing. Every one knows if they're legal or not (they're not). Surin was far worse with many permanent structures. It's mostly just huts on Patong. I think it's the former mayor's son who has one structure that's going.

We live in interesting times.

[Peterocket]

Sunday 3 pm Surin beach looks so nice, all empty EXCEPT the club at the end has not started,

Kamala south of the Graveyard empty

north, same huts still on the beach an does not look like any one is doing anything about it

Walking Kamala today I saw a group of 20+ Army inspecting those huts on the beach. I see some in the tear down/salvage mode. It's happening. I think the fines are about to go into effect.

I don't expect Patong to be any more difficult than Surin or Kamala was i.e. nothing. Every one knows if they're legal or not (they're not). Surin was far worse with many permanent structures. It's mostly just huts on Patong. I think it's the former mayor's son who has one structure that's going.

We live in interesting times.

Without getting into the right or wrongness of having the structures on the beach do people think that tourists will be happier now without access to restaurants, beachclubs and chairs on the beaches?

Although I think it had gone way too far in terms of encroachment from my observations most Europeans seem to go the beaches specifically for those amenities...

[stevenl]

Sunday 3 pm Surin beach looks so nice, all empty EXCEPT the club at the end has not started,

Kamala south of the Graveyard empty

north, same huts still on the beach an does not look like any one is doing anything about it

Walking Kamala today I saw a group of 20+ Army inspecting those huts on the beach. I see some in the tear down/salvage mode. It's happening. I think the fines are about to go into effect.

I don't expect Patong to be any more difficult than Surin or Kamala was i.e. nothing. Every one knows if they're legal or not (they're not). Surin was far worse with many permanent structures. It's mostly just huts on Patong. I think it's the former mayor's son who has one structure that's going.

We live in interesting times.

Without getting into the right or wrongness of having the structures on the beach do people think that tourists will be happier now without access to restaurants, beachclubs and chairs on the beaches?

Although I think it had gone way too far in terms of encroachment from my observations most Europeans seem to go the beaches specifically for those amenities...

Most of them and in the long run: yes.

[phuketrichard]

I will believe this when i look at the beach in Dec,

http://www.thephuketnews.com/demolition-orders-issued-to-78-more-phuket-beach-encroachers-47016.php

I wonder if they will allow people to walk up an down the beach as before selling food items?

“In the future, there will be no beach chairs or massage beds on this beach. People cannot take advantage of public land anymore.

Edited June 24, 2014 by phuketrichard

[jocko]

Sunday 3 pm Surin beach looks so nice, all empty EXCEPT the club at the end has not started,

Kamala south of the Graveyard empty

north, same huts still on the beach an does not look like any one is doing anything about it

Walking Kamala today I saw a group of 20+ Army inspecting those huts on the beach. I see some in the tear down/salvage mode. It's happening. I think the fines are about to go into effect.

I don't expect Patong to be any more difficult than Surin or Kamala was i.e. nothing. Every one knows if they're legal or not (they're not). Surin was far worse with many permanent structures. It's mostly just huts on Patong. I think it's the former mayor's son who has one structure that's going.

We live in interesting times.

Without getting into the right or wrongness of having the structures on the beach do people think that tourists will be happier now without access to restaurants, beachclubs and chairs on the beaches?

Although I think it had gone way too far in terms of encroachment from my observations most Europeans seem to go the beaches specifically for those amenities...

Most of them and in the long run: yes.

The people who go to the beach love the beach and sunning themselfs they will always go, its not as if you cant get what you want nearby or take it with you if you look at other beaches across the world there is some control what traders are allowed to do there are beautiful beaches where there are very few facility on the beach and people still go.

A level playing field is the answer.