Removal of Beach Chairs on Hua Hin Beaches

[deepcell]

buy a f**** chair and the problem is over! c'mon.

[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

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

Indeed, perhaps I am not as well travelled as perhaps your goodself. So far I have only holidayed around the coasts of Italy (inc Elba) Spain (mainland and Majorca), Portugal (Algarve mainly), most of the Greek islands, US (only California and Florida), Denmark, Sweden, France (north and south), Germany (probably doesn't count because I was based in the cities), Holland, Singapore, Ireland.

SDM

PS Forgot Thailand, where I now live of course.

Edited August 10, 2014 by SDM0712

[asean]

Then they should replace them with legal operations, with permits and controls issued by the city.

[Friendly Stranger]

When will it be Pattaya's turn? If there illegal of course.

Now that'll be quite an undertaking.

[adammike]

stickman reports they have moved the bulldozers in to clear the bit that the dusit has grabbed,pattaya.

[JimHuaHin]

Like many Thais and expats living in Hua Hin who frequent the Khao Ta Kiab beach area, as well as many Thai friends from across Thailand who come to visit this area, the removal of the illegal beach restaurants and beach chairs is greatly welcomed.

If the next wave of tourists who arrive in the high season find their favourite beach chairs and 'restaurants' missing, then they are welcome to seek them elsewhere.

For many of us how have lived in, or have been coming to, Hua Hin for decades, the city and beaches are becoming too crowded and too expensive - we would like our old peaceful Hua Hin back..

If the recent army moves act to limit the growth and expansion of Hua Hin, many in the district would be very happy indeed - although the rich property speculators from Bangkok and elsewhere would be pissed off .. mai pen rai.

[KarenBravo]

Don't think limiting growth and expansion of anywhere is the army's aim.

developement always goes forward, never backward (mores the pity).

[Kathiejs]

Hua Hin beach is not backed by trees, it's backed by high rise hotels and condo blocks. So it's never going to look like photos #2 and, and there is no shade unless you have an umbrella. Beach umbrellas are not easily transported by tourists arriving for a 2 week holiday from Europe, Russia etc. I hope a few of the operators are able to hang around and rent out umbrellas at least, otherwise the beach will become unusable in a lot of tourist's minds - then it won't only be the beach operators who suffer, but also any hotel or guesthouse which lacks its own pool and sunbeds.

[ToneG]

I was in Takiab last Jan (high season) and It was hardly overrun with sunbeds. Only have to walk about 50 yards away from the mountain and they're all gone,plenty of space to throw down a towel.

I guess people like to drive to the beach and not have to walk all of 50 yards to get a place.

Personally the sun is too strong for me to lie down for too long but after the walk from Hua Hin beach to Takiab I did enjoy a cold beer at that small bar on the steps up to the temple.

I hope that's still there next year.

[SunsetT]

Personally, I couldn't care less. Chairs or no chairs wouldn't stop me going to the beach. In fact, I fail to see why anyone would get worked up over it.

What I would be interested to know is, have they also got rid of the guys who rent out the tables and chairs on the military beach south of Hua Hin...??? Just wondering...!!!

There it is deckchairs and small tables which are removed from the beach as soon as you have finished with them by those renting them out. At Kao Takiab it is rows wooden sunbeds and tables and chairs which have become permanent fixtures on the beach.

[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'.

Indeed, perhaps I am not as well travelled as perhaps your goodself. So far I have only holidayed around the coasts of Italy (inc Elba) Spain (mainland and Majorca), Portugal (Algarve mainly), most of the Greek islands, US (only California and Florida), Denmark, Sweden, France (north and south), Germany (probably doesn't count because I was based in the cities), Holland, Singapore, Ireland.

SDM

PS Forgot Thailand, where I now live of course.

You will never have seen lounge chairs and umbrellas on any beach in California.

[Ciocco]

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!!!!

To write who think differently is an idiot does not make you smarter...

About the chairs... what it mean they has been tollerated for years? Does this make the difference? Illegal it was, illegal it is, or not?

Yes, true, Thailand have bigger problems than this, but looks like the wind start to change... or, at least, i hope this... from some where they have to start, they done with taxis and tuk tuk, now with beach workers, may be one a day with sex workers... whats wrong?

Or it is the usual behaviour "not in my garden"?

Nothing against the people who runned illegal business on the beach till tomorrow, but it's time for them to enter in the legal society, and with all the taxes they skipped to pay in tha past, they could pay for a regular license as well.

[SunsetT]

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!!!!

I agree. It is mostly the Thais in Thailand who want umbrellas, chairs, and tables as they are paranoid about getting dark skin. Also most Thais only go to the beach to eat, drink, and talk. Sunbathing is a Western concept. Most Western beach towel culture is in a different climate where the temperature is bearable and it is enjoyable to sit in the sun and often there is a cool sea breeze . I think it is madness to sit in Tropical sunshine, heat and humidity which to me is uncomfortable and becomes unbearable after a very short time. Not to mention the danger of skin cancer. I reckon most beaches in the Tropics where the sun is almost directly overhead provide beach umbrellas, and rightly so.

Believe it or not I get more of a tan in my UK garden in Summer than I do spending all Winter in Thailand. I spend a lot more time outside in Thailand but never sitting in the sun.

[SDM0712]

You will never have seen lounge chairs and umbrellas on any beach in California.

I'll take your word for that, I spent most of my time getting lost, on one occasion after dining with some family friends in Belair, which was gorgeous, and ending in in La Brea and then Inglewood, which for anyone who knows LA is most ungoreous (I'm English so can invent a word) The only other parts i have visited regularly are San Fransicso, down to Monterey and Las Vegas (which is technically Nevada I suppose).

Without wanting to get bogged down in this debate, which I expect to be irrelevant anyway when all the sunbeds etc come back at some point in the future anyway, but here is my ten cents worth; Unlike countries such as the US, Thailand's main export is tourism, and like its or not most people like to sit on a chair on the beach. The suggestion of us buying and taking our own chairs and beds to the beach on the face of it seems sensible, but not practical, due to cost, weight and transportation. I can see a lot of mileage in being able to rent sunbeds etc from some point on the beach and have one of the beach boys carry it to a point for you, but that's never going to work in the real world.

Personally I despise the beach mafia, which is exactly what they are and laughed myself silly driving down the beach road a few weeks ago seeing them being given their marching orders by soldiers that were a similar size to the huge guns they were holding.

SDM

PS I read something today which made me laugh. The Jetski operators are now being officially allowed back on the beach with the proviso that they act as unofficial life guards. Those guys make the sunbed yakuza look like Mary Poppins.

[sirocco]

There is no question delete everything, but to regulate.

This is a difference in terms.

Even today, I have seen Thais with houses on the beach, put chairs, umbrellas, coolers with more drink.

All for tourists. This is not normal, and it is illegal.

[mike324]

bring your own chair and umbrella, continue enjoying the beach

less stalls means cleaner beaches as well, you'll find less satay sticks, shrimp heads, and hungry dogs roaming around

Edited August 13, 2014 by mike324

[ttthailand]

Are we all so rich that we are blinded by our own desires. Look at the normal Thai family who's main supporter makes 300 to 400 baht in a day. He takes his wife and three children to a day on the beach and has to pay half a days wage just to sit at the beach. He should be able to sit for free if he wants at the location he wishes and not have to try to find a place to sit and a place for his kids to play out in a lone beach. This is public ground and it should be first come first serve. Sure it is not a problem for many Thais and us farang to pay for a beach chair but the beach is for everyone not just those with money. There should not be restrictions on where you can sit and how much money you have. Everyone should have equal access to all public land.

Also, the money that these venders paid for rent went towards corruption . How is this country going to break the cycle of corruption if it can't even control it's own land. There has to be zero tolerance or corruption will continue. You can not pick which areas you want to be corrupt and which areas you don't want.

I think a great step forward for Thailand. Everyone is getting the message that things will be done correctly and corruption will not be tolerated.

As far as people loosing their jobs.... There are tons of jobs in Thailand. Unemployment in Thailand is not a problem unless you are too lazy to work.

Also new businesses will be popping up soon to fill the void of renting chairs and other items that you can bring to the beach.

[Evilbaz]

I find it highly amusing those posts arguing passionately for " good corruption " - the kind that benefits their creature comforts.

To tackle all corruption - slash and burn and start with a clean slate (beach) for a few months while the displaced vendors find a new job or go home.

Then introduce regulated minimal "services" on a transparent basis (with continuing military oversight if necessary) with the licence fees going to lifeguard services, beach cleaning and parking access.

P.S.

If they can do it on Phuket they can do it anywhere.

As they follow the money more corrupt officials are being exposed higher up the money tree without a pathway to buy their way out

Edited August 13, 2014 by Evilbaz

[ToneG]

In my experience in HH I've hardly ever seen a Thai person lying out on the beach in the sun, there's miles of it if you walk away from the entrance a bit. Mostly they either sit under the trees or under an umbrella, they don't want any more of a suntan, usually. At the weekends many rich families buying all the stock up from the beach vendors eating food and taking pictures of themselves with their Ipads.

[ColdSingha]

beach looked amazing today post clean up, had a real public park feel about it, very relaxed.

taking a towel and eski later

Edited August 13, 2014 by ColdSingha

[Ciocco]

As you can see there is a lot of shadow and sheltered space now... the same was occupied by that illegal business they clean.

To those who are afraid by the sun, look how many place under the trees... of course no one noticed before, but just before there was chicken cages called restaurants...

Now looks like a normal beach have to look, also for thais and also in thailand.

Was 66 (SIXTIESIX!!!) business cleaned up... i never imagined a so high number... and this show how serious this matter it was.

Go to find a legal job now,

or in the jail if they try to do it again.

because a better Thailand could exist!

[ChrisY1]

I say get good riddance to these beach chair mafia hags........both in Cha Am and Hua Hin....

They're usually dirty old tattered rags held together with rusty old framework....and the chairs are probably the most uncomfortable seat for eating......

Get the beaches as beaches should be.....oh...the dogs have gotta go too!!

[hhfarang]

^ Once the food source goes (vendors) the dogs will go to greener pastures.

[Aforek]

^ Once the food source goes (vendors) the dogs will go to greener pastures.

There are dogs too on beaches where there are no vendors and food ; I know several of them ...

[hhfarang]

I used to walk my dog south of Sea Pines beach where there are no vendors or even people living all the way to Kao Tao and never saw another dog.

[maccaroni man]

TBH the sea of umbrellas and chairs on Thai beaches has always been an eye sore to me. I am happy to be done with them.

[uwe_rayong]

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

Where do they sell the lovely beach tents?

Did not see much of this tents in Thailand, but couple of weeks ago I ordered something similar from www.aliexpress.com - prices start around 30 USD incl. shipping to Thailand. Arrived within 3 weeks, delivery by Thai Post - customs was zero.

With the customs you need some luck, I order often from China and sometimes it costs a few Baht.

When delivery is made by Thaipost chances are good you will receive it free, Fedex or DHL always plus VAT.

[StefanBBK]

I remember a time when the beach chair was 20 baht... now that is long ago and charges increased many fold. Up to 200 baht on some beaches.

I would not mind that at all, were the chairs/ loungers of good quality, comfortable and well maintained.

I think what is needed is some sort of licensing, not just tea money. Obligations to keep the beach clean, proper rubbish disposal etc.

Honestly, with the exeptions of a few island places there are no great beaches in Thailand. Many are just dirt pits with overpriced old rotten furniture.

Edited August 18, 2014 by StefanBBK

[Lumbini]

Bring your own chair ? And enjoy your new beach ...

[sirocco]

But why not ask sunbathers rental meters from beach. There would be less abuse. This is good for those who sell on the sidewalks around schools.

Sure, buying her lounge for leisure travelers, just for a few days, especially as there is no folding chairs, an umbrella, but it's more simple. But lie on the sand, it's better than on the rollers.