Removal of Beach Chairs on Hua Hin Beaches

[robblok]

Surely they are only removing the "permanent" fixtures - beach/coconut umbrellas, tables, chairs.

Vendors should be able to have a small stall next to the beach, where they can store/display their portable beach equipment. Tourists come, rent chairs/tables/umbrellas etc, stroll a few yards to their chosen spot (perhaps the vendors can help carry & set up the beach furniture), and stay for a few hours, after which they pack up everything and return the equipment to the vendor and collect their deposit.

Tourists would be happy (the beach is empty each morning, they have a larger selection of vendors and equipment, they can choose whichever spot on the beach they like). The "losers" will be the 10 vendors/families who hitherto have staked the beach area for years, as they will have new competitive providers of beach stuff..

This sounds like the most fair solution, the problem was that people claimed the beach and it was full with empty beach chairs. Now they will have to work a bit more for their money moving chairs and such.

[robblok]

Ever heard of sun-block factor 50 and a wide-brim hat?

I know them, but for sun block you must put some more every two hours, and again after swimming , and for hours, chairs and umbrellas are much nicer

For Cha am, ( where I live ), the futur Pukhet, there are still kilometers of beach without chairs - umbrellas: don't be lazy and walk; around Cha am, there are tree long beaches without chairs and umbrellas

on wednesday, no chairs ;

for beautiful empty beaches, you should have been there 35 years ago, as I did

Now they are getting empty again.. don't be selfish only thinking of your needs. you had your needs.. don't be lazy carry your own beach chair if you live there. (easy to turn things around)

[khounteen]

Guess there will be thousands of secondhand beach chairs and umbrellas for sale soon.

[Aforek]

Now they are getting empty again.. don't be selfish only thinking of your needs. you had your needs.. don't be lazy carry your own beach chair if you live there. (easy to turn things around)

I never sit on chairs and under umbrellas, it's not my thing, but because there are not all along the beach, like in Bangsaen, they don't disturb me

I go to the other three beaches for walking

before, Cha am was for Thai tourists, no farangs, and Thai like umbrellas and chairs ; but now, going to Cha am is a trend for farangs ( futur Pukhet ) , so farangs want things are being changed for their own taste ( mai pen rai, next year I go somewhere else )

[thurien]

Say goodbye to your sun chair, umbrella and cold drink

not necessarily - buy yourself a sun deck w/table affixed and an umbrella plus an esky (with ice and grog), put it on your pickup ... enjoy the beach!

[robblok]

Now they are getting empty again.. don't be selfish only thinking of your needs. you had your needs.. don't be lazy carry your own beach chair if you live there. (easy to turn things around)

I never sit on chairs and under umbrellas, it's not my thing, but because there are not all along the beach, like in Bangsaen, they don't disturb me

I go to the other three beaches for walking

before, Cha am was for Thai tourists, no farangs, and Thai like umbrellas and chairs ; but now, going to Cha am is a trend for farangs ( futur Pukhet ) , so farangs want things are being changed for their own taste ( mai pen rai, next year I go somewhere else )

I see you don't even live here... That explains the lack of knowledge.

Us foreigners have absolutely NOTHING to say here. Its the Thais themselves that clean things up.

[rethaier]

Surely they can still rent chairs and umbrellas that individuals can place wherever they want them. But these vendors did not own, or as far as I know, rent the reserved area of beach. So what is the problem?

[Rorri]

Some people "need" a deck chair, some don't. The op gets no sympathy from me, I'm from Australia, there are NO deck chairs, for hire, ON the beach, in fact very few if any, if people take their own, to be seen. I have never seen or heard any tourists complain, but there seems to be a lot of whingers here, in Thailand, that seem to "need" a deck chair. If you live in HH and go to the beach regularly then take your own, they are not that heavy, or do as aussies do, take a towel or mat.

[SDM0712]

I completly agree with the OP, the beaches do look lovely admittedly but if we can't sit on them comfortably it's a shame for the tourists who don't want to sit on the ground and the Thais who earn a living from the beach.

It's interesting that many expats I know here say isn't it great that the beaches are back to their natural beauty but when I talk to people at home they say, where will we sit if we want to go to the beach. It seems that, as it quite common here, there is no thought to the next link, unless that link is to start vetting and licensing beach vendors properly once the dusk has settled and get rid of the beach mafia. The fact is Thailand's main export is tourism and people come here for many reasons and one of the main ones is that they can sit on our lovely beaches, just as they can in most other holiday destinations in the World.

SDM

[SDM0712]

Surely they can still rent chairs and umbrellas that individuals can place wherever they want them. But these vendors did not own, or as far as I know, rent the reserved area of beach. So what is the problem?

I'm pretty sure they can't. The beaches that have had the chairs removed and devoid of any chairs.

SDM

[Ciocco]

Thailand is a country we all love,

but please do not lie ourself...

Is a kind of zoo where everything is allowed or not allowed depending on who you are.

Militars seems to be the only one who started a cleaning process, where cleaning it mean try (TRY!) to change this society...

To loose our chairs on the beach could be a wortable price to pay, if this will be really the start of a long process who have to involve all the business and common life, expecially on the roads.

Yesterday i seen a policeman making a fee to a car parked in "thai style" in Chomsin road, first time i ever seen something similar in town, hope this will happen daily and everywhere. Because thousand of people die every year on the roads, driving without license, without insurances, or drunk or... The only one thing they care it's money, so they have to start from there. They will learn and improve itself really fast, want to bid? Just have to be for real, not just a make up policy.

Because Thailand want to stay in Asean Group, but to do this they have to change a lot, and those mans wearing uniforms looks like the only one who can help on this...

We will see if a temporary fire or a long term behaviour...

[BlackJack]

all these businesses make money and dont pay tax

[poohy]

It will be interesting to see what happens on Phrachuaps Ao Manao "air force base" beach, I would imagine the edict does not extend that far down the coast!

[sirocco]

But where is the problem ????

I am glad that there are more chairs illegally.

What's funny, tourists want to go to places where there is no one, but they do not hesitate become stuck against the others at the beach from each.

And now they cry.

In France, in Nice, we put our towel on the pebbles. So put your butt on the sand.

[Maroon Watcher]

There should be a section of say 1/3 of the road side/entrance to the beach, set aside for sun chairs -

with a small (REGULATED) license.

Any restaurants hotels wanting to set up an extension of their business in front of their licenced properties/ restaurant/snack box,

should pay a higher license, agai Only 1/3 of the beach (At high tide)

Anyone sectioning off the shore for say jetskies should also be licensed.

This License should pay for facilities on the beach, such as life guards, free standing showers, beach patrol, or what ever

All licenses must be complete with building permits, Insurance, tax, etc.

All this information should be on display as an open account of money IN/OUT

No curruption

[tx22cb]

Who needs bulky beach umbrellas and heavy heat-retaining hats when there is a simple solution that has been used by generations on the English Riviera?

[glamont002]

Lots of responses and as usual many idiotic.

Some follow on points. The beach at Khao Takiab runs from "chopstick" mountain to Khao Tao and is about 8km long. The section with the chairs and vendors is about 500 meters. So anyone who wants to sit on a towel in the sand has plenty of beach...... Next point, many Thai tourists come there. Thai's don't like to sit in the sun. Next point for the imbeciles who suggest bringing your own chair, umbrella etc. that is an option if you live here (but still a pain). In high season there are hundreds of European and other western tourists who come. What about them? Most stay in a condo or hotel in walking distance and don't use a car. They all want a chair and umbrella (in December/January every one is taken) and have come to expect that they will be available. Tourism is the life blood of Hua Hin and why would the army now take away things the tourists enjoy. Next point is about the horses. Every one of the jockies carries plastic bags and immediately scoops up the shit when their horse does it. Rarely have I seen horse shit on the beach. Last point again the vendors at K Tabiab are not mafia thugs. Each one is a very friendly Thai who have made a living from the beach. In addition to the chair vendors there are many massage ladies, roving food vendors and others who will now be put out of business. Very few posts show any sympathy for them. How nice of you all. Perhaps they are all there illegally, but it has been tollerated for years. Let the NCPO and army clean up the larrge scale corruption which is costing the country billions every year. Leave the little guy alone!!!!

[HerbalEd]

You can always bring your own beach chair or lounger to the beach. That hasn't been outlawed ... just the vendors on the beach have. I've been on many beaches all over the world where rental chairs and loungers are not available, and their tourist business is doing quite well without them.

I gotta feeling many Thai hotels, resorts, etc. will start to make these available for their guests to take to the beach and then bring back. Sure, it won't work for every tourist, but it'll work for many.

[KarenBravo]

@glamont002

You're missing the point and the reason this is happening.

Public land is for all and no one should profit from it.

[gbswales]

Surely compromise is the answer. There are tourists (and locals) who want to lay on towels on "unspoilt beaches" and there are others who want the comfort of chairs, sunbeds and umbarellas - In my view there is room to accommodate both on most beaches by setting out licensed areas with beachside amenities such as restaurants, toilets, showers and sunbeds etc. Making sure that there is a good expanse of beach on which these are not permitted. There could also be restrictions on how far towards the sea the deckchaired areas are allowed to go - so that people can spread towels well in front of them and enjoy the natural view that they desire. One of the features of well managed amenity beaches is that there is an incentive for the licensees to clean their part of the beach each night since tourists wont want to lay amongst litter. I looked at the pictures and agree that from an aesthetic point of view the beaches without chairs look more attractive and make better photographs - they also have far fewer people on them suggesting that they are not so popular as some imagine. I for one have never been comfortable sitting on a beach, the floor or even floor cushions and I am sure there are a lot of people like me. I can remember struggling to beaches in parts of the UK trying to carry chairs, enough food and provisions for four of us as well as looking after two young children - it was no pic-nic (no pun intended)

I would also rather relax on a beach with a restaurant close by rather than lay on a natural beach while some lovers of nature decide to set up a mini bar-b-q. Thailand is fortunate in that it has miles of lovely beaches so there is plenty of space to compromise and provide places that everyone can enjoy. Instead of allowing illegal businesses to spring up provide space for some legal businesses and make sure that they are priced so that local independent people (rather than the big hotels) can afford to lease space and provide the service that some tourists want (an in the case of some disabled and elderly people "need")

COMPROMISE is the key to life

[KarenBravo]

Compromise never works here. It just opens the door for more corruption.

They tried this in Phuket. First only two rows of chairs were allowed, but, due to "there's always room for one more" mentality, it ended up as five rows.

Give them a hand and they take your arm.

Only an all or nothing strategy will work.

[Aforek]

Beach Chairs? Who needs beach chairs?

Thank you for this picture of Cha am in 5 -10 years ; where are Thai tourists ?

[Alwyn]

get one of these......sorted.....

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=beach+tent&tbm=isch&imgil=LpAG7O0IvVR5IM%253A%253B8l7XkAzCEOc46M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.koolsun.co.uk%25252Facatalog%25252FUV_Protector_Sun_Tent.html&source=iu&usg=__HrR7iHJGppl1N2-gQQVkxZ_3zuw%3D&sa=X&ei=PW7mU9PiK8Tk8AW9joD4BA&sqi=2&ved=0CEAQ9QEwAw&biw=1280&bih=615#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=5xxgYXabbj2e2M%253A%3BkiFkiUW7xId2lM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimages.esellerpro.com%252F2683%252FI%252F143%252F9%252FLS-032%252520blue%25252001.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fitm%252FBEACH-SHELTER-FESTIVAL-CAMPING-TENT-SUN-WIND-SHELTER-LS032BLUE-FAMILY-BEACH-FUN-%252F290760964538%3B3892%3B2572

NOOOOO!!!!! I visited Whitley Bay beach a couple of weeks ago and all you could see on the beach were those ridiculous tent like things - you could hardly see the sand there were so many! Plus of course the windbreakers that people use to mark their territory on the beach made for a totally horrifying experience. I was just going say blow this lark, I'll have a beer instead but alas not one place for a beer or cocktail just a horrid little cafe place that must have been built in the 60's and never altered - like a scout hall cafe!!

[impulse]

Lots of responses and as usual many idiotic.

.......

Last point again the vendors at K Tabiab are not mafia thugs. Each one is a very friendly Thai who have made a living from the beach. In addition to the chair vendors there are many massage ladies, roving food vendors and others who will now be put out of business. Very few posts show any sympathy for them. How nice of you all. Perhaps they are all there illegally, but it has been tolerated for years. Let the NCPO and army clean up the large scale corruption which is costing the country billions every year. Leave the little guy alone!!!!

They may be nice, friendly, lovable people. Most Thais I have met are.

But make no mistake, they are allowed to set up illegally for years by paying someone off. They're probably giving away a huge portion of the fruit of their hard work to the corrupt individuals who decide who gets to set up where, and collects the "rent". If they weren't, ask yourself why there are never any fatal arguments about who gets to set up where every morning?

I hope they're allowed back into limited areas, in an orderly and legal manner once the stranglehold of the corrupt officials is broken. And I hope they're then allowed to keep more of the money they earn instead of paying it to the parasitic thugs that control their access today.

But I also must say that I was sorely disappointed when I made my first trip to a Thai "beach resort" after working here a few months. There was no beach, just a sea of beach chairs with hawkers and hookers blocking just about every point of access for a km in each direction. So I freely admit that I hope that the folks that want to sit on rental beach chairs are the ones that have to walk a few hundred meters to get to them- so the rest of us can see the sea.

[robblok]

@glamont002

You're missing the point and the reason this is happening.

Public land is for all and no one should profit from it.

Correct plus that in general the "rent" for the beach area these beach chair guys use does not go into the pocket of the city but straight into the pocket of a corrupt official.

Of course the prime spots would be claimed by these and not the spots that you have to walk to get too.

[Aforek]

But I also must say that I was sorely disappointed when I made my first trip to a Thai "beach resort" after working here a few months. There was no beach, just a sea of beach chairs with hawkers and hookers blocking just about every point of access for a km in each direction. So I freely admit that I hope that the folks that want to sit on rental beach chairs are the ones that have to walk a few hundred meters to get to them- so the rest of us can see the sea.

It was my impression in Bangsen, beach completely covered with chairs and umbrellas, no pleasure at all,

because the beach is small , no free place to walk alone

if it's to get rid of corruption, I agree that NCPO ( Thai, but not the ones who use the chairs and tables ),

wants to clean it, mafia and illegal job ;

I agree also that when the beach is very long ( like Cha am, 10 kms on low tide ), it is nice to have place with shadow ,

tables to eat and drink with friends or family , on a small aera of the beach, and leave the rest of the beach free

for people who want to enjoy it swiming, walking, sunbathing

I can't imagine my self coming in the middle of the beach, sitting on my chair, doing nothing but burning under the sun :

it's much more pleasant to sit on a table and ask for food or drink if we want to spend several hours here :

Thai people love it ! I don't do it myself but I understand that people like it.

[Cthulhu]

Say goodbye to your sun chair, umbrella and cold drink because there is new sheriff in town.

Whenever I hear this kind of complaining, I chock it up to pure selfishness. I want what I want. I don't care about the ecological impact of what I do.

They're insane for taking away my sun chair!!! What about the tourists? The horror!

The people renting you a chair were operating a business illegally on public land. They were paying the people whose job it was to protect the land (who were turning around and selling it).

I have no empathy for them or you. This is the best thing that ever happened to Thailand. They should be taking out all those structures that have illegally encroached the beaches all along the coast. There are plenty of them in Hua Hin that should and will be coming down. Good riddance. Finally, someone put a stop to the encroachment, the illegal businesses and the corruption.

Sorry buddy. The only thing on the King's beach... sand. Insane, right?

Leaving aside the utter nastiness of these remarks, i would only point out that the "ecological impact" of beach chairs and umbrellas is exactly zero.

If this is "the best thing that ever happened to Thailand" then I really do feel sorry for the long-suffering Thai people.

A real future without hope.

[ableguy]

What a stupid post, it's high time these beach bandits were cleared off public land, they are run by enforcers, try taking your own chair see what threats you get, my family were charged 300 baht to sit on this beach, a days wage for the dad, get real man.

[Xonax]

All you poor creatures who will miss the beach chairs, can just go to the plenty of legal beach restaurants or bars on private land to sit. Or is the problem rather, that you are cheap charlies, that doesn´t want to pay more than 50 Baht to sit all day in a beach chair, owned by someone doing illegal business on a public beach without paying rent?

[Headgame]

I completly agree with the OP, the beaches do look lovely admittedly but if we can't sit on them comfortably it's a shame for the tourists who don't want to sit on the ground and the Thais who earn a living from the beach.

It's interesting that many expats I know here say isn't it great that the beaches are back to their natural beauty but when I talk to people at home they say, where will we sit if we want to go to the beach. It seems that, as it quite common here, there is no thought to the next link, unless that link is to start vetting and licensing beach vendors properly once the dusk has settled and get rid of the beach mafia. The fact is Thailand's main export is tourism and people come here for many reasons and one of the main ones is that they can sit on our lovely beaches, just as they can in most other holiday destinations in the World.

SDM

Obviously you haven't been to 'most other holiday destinations in the world'.