Police reveal how Phuket's public beaches were rented out - for billions

[ZeldasCavern]

In this article and what no one seems to have commented about is the amazing outcome - by which

"In court, Yutthana was sentenced to six months in jail and fined B4,000. Because he had pleaded guilty, the sentence was halved to three months and B2,000, and the jail term was suspended for a year."

"Meanwhile, in a parallel case in the Administrative Court, the Kathu District Officer, the Mayor of Patong and Patong Municipality were accused of giving permission to Yutthana to occupy public beach for profit, but that court dismissed their cases."

This is why this goes on...

AN EXAMPLE AND A WARNING

At the press conference today a six-year-old case was offered as a warning to sunbed operators who have been clamouring to get back on the beach, even appealing to HM the King.

The case involved Yutthana Tamchu, a member of the Sunbed Operators’ Club in the Patong area. He was taken to court in September 2008 for trespassing on Tritrang Beach two years earlier, by setting out chairs, tables, sunbeds and umbrellas for rent.

In court, Yutthana was sentenced to six months in jail and fined B4,000. Because he had pleaded guilty, the sentence was halved to three months and B2,000, and the jail term was suspended for a year.

Meanwhile, in a parallel case in the Administrative Court, the Kathu District Officer, the Mayor of Patong and Patong Municipality were accused of giving permission to Yutthana to occupy public beach for profit, but that court dismissed their cases.

During his trial Yutthana admitted his guilt but complained that he had been singled out unfairly because other sunbed operators at Tritrang had not been arrested. The judge responded that this was irrelevant.

[whaleboneman]

but the other side tourist need sun beds and umbrellas. so someone have to rent.

Why on earth should someone have to rent. There are many places (but not in this country) where the municipality put sunbeds on the beaches for free and the nearby restaurants, bars and hotels will supply food and drink for those that want it. Hawkers are not allowed on these beaches. I hope Thailand can also adopt such practices.

So in a country with this much poverty, poor education system and no social security net, you would like them to spend money on sunbeds for wealthy tourists?

[Johpa]

Nobody will have to pay back anything, nobody will go to jail. This is all publicity for the army. It will quietly slip away.

It is not just publicity but the continued campaign of redirection of money from one political faction to an increasingly all-powerful single faction.

[whaleboneman]

but the other side tourist need sun beds and umbrellas. so someone have to rent.

They should do the same as other countries and rent out the beach with control on prices and the money goes to central/local government - not the mayor's pocket.

I'm pretty sure that only some of the money goes in the mayor's pocket-most probably gets passed on to the "central government".

[Beetlejuice]

The military have one hell of a task on their hands in breaking a well organised chain of corruption and criminal dealings that has probably been going on for decades, from the bottom right up to the top.

All this is going to take a lot of effort and resources. This is something that cannot be rectified within just a few weeks, but may take months or even years. How the military intend to tackle all these criminals who`s dubious activities cover a huge area and probably involving many people, I have no idea, or even if it`s possible at all?

[SilverBeast]

I thought I read somewhere that its the Royal Family that owns all the beaches and thus isn't private property at all. Rather public land. But did the municipality have authority to do what it did under the government that sits about it? The district or federal government?

If the Hotels wanted sun beds on the beach then the hotel should have sought permission to put them their for the use of their patrons. The Royal Family can own the land, the hotel can own the beds and the patrons of the hotel can use the sun beds in front of their hotel. The "wealthy Farang" would be paying the hotels for their stay anyways...

[enufsaid]

How naïve can you be, or perhaps you've always mixed with Falangs. This is how it's done in Thailand, love the fact it's openly corrupt & love that is not dammed politically correct.

[Torrens54]

but the other side tourist need sun beds and umbrellas. so someone have to rent.

Dare say that it is possible to rent an umbrella at a reasonable price from a nearby hotel and then just do like people do everywhere, put a Beach Towel on the sand and settle down for a pleasant day, without being ripped off.

[NomadJoe]

Phuket’s billion-baht illegal beach rental scheme exposed

PHUKET: Police have turned their eye away from Phuket’s taxi mafia to the island’s billion-baht illegal beach rental scheme – starting with the role played by Kata-Karon Mayor Tawee Thongcham.

Summons were issued today for 15 people, including Mayor Tawee, who stand accused of illegally issuing permits for local beach vendors to use the public beach land, said Region 8 Police Deputy Commander Paween Pongsirin.

The pricing for the “leases” were displayed at a press conference today: a five-year contract for 99 meters of beach cost 6.25 million baht; a three-year contract for 80m of beach cost 4.5mn baht; and a one-year contract for an undisclosed amount of beach cost 1.68mn baht.

- See more at: http://phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phukets-billionbaht-illegal-beach-rental-scheme-exposed

[LivinginKata]

2 off topic posts relating to another news story - removed.

[dukebowling]

Quite surprising the responses praising the government on this subject. I guess many don't read the articles carefully and jump to conclusions.

It is actually a rather embarrassing display of law enforcement.

An innocent man charged with obtaining an official permit from the government. Then that same government sentences him. The government officials that issued him the permit…charges dismissed.

Embarrassing government failure.

[hgma]

Thank the Lord that the militairy are around to secure the 'safety' of the policeforce on Phuket.

[Thai at Heart]

a map of Kata Beach clearly showing how the entire beach had been divided up, and naming the operators for each of the 31 slices, which run from the top of the beach to about halfway to the high tide line.

The map notes that the total length of the beach is 1,497.2 metres and the space for sunbeds takes up 1,087 metres of that length

That shows some sophisticated organization. So, Take that! All you Thai-bashers who are always going on about how Thais are disorganized goofballs!

T

When it comes to.corrupt govt business, they are truly world class.

[KarenBravo]

Neither do I, I just think it is ironic the superiority complex that is endemic in the expat community, yes there are exceptions.

Generally they are the same people that in their country of birth b*tch and complain about the immigrants wanting to come to their country and change things.... then what do they do when they get here? Wish they could change things to be more like their own country, develop a superiority complex and look down on the people that own the country.

Basically the exact same thing that pissed them off about the immigrants in their home country!

No......corruption is wrong in any country, or culture.

Next, you'll be defending FGM as it's cultural......

[Strangebrew]

Now all you bashing the progress being made or not. The general PM after all is a military man There are certain ways there taught to do things. Step by step. There's change in the wind. KUDO's To the PM.

[hawthorne]

Nothing will happen to the real thieves only the small guys served up as offerings.

[Khun Loong]

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but the other side tourist need sun beds and umbrellas. so someone have to rent.

There is absolutely no need for ugly sunbeds all over beautiful beaches. Unbrellas for shade, yes.

[kerrysum]

Lets hope they have to pay back every baht to the government plus time in the monkey house...

Dream on is all I can say.....

[Thakkar]

a map of Kata Beach clearly showing how the entire beach had been divided up, and naming the operators for each of the 31 slices, which run from the top of the beach to about halfway to the high tide line.

The map notes that the total length of the beach is 1,497.2 metres and the space for sunbeds takes up 1,087 metres of that length

That shows some sophisticated organization. So, Take that! All you Thai-bashers who are always going on about how Thais are disorganized goofballs!

T

When it comes to.corrupt govt business, they are truly world class.

Not nearly as world class as the Western Banksters and their government enablers that nearly tanked the world economy, made billions doing it, escaped any personal responsibility and still got their bonuses. All while ruining the lives of millions, shattering countless dreams and costing trillions to repair that generations hence will be paying for. Now, THAT'S a world class crime syndicate!

T

[Cake Monster]

Its time for the BIG to start looking at some of the other resort towns now.

Some of these towns have put up some rather large smoke screens to stop the incursion of the BIG into there domains.

I wonder why they have done this ?

[Beng]

Finally, after years of encroaching on public beaches, something is being done. Hopefully they extend this crackdown to all the other islands and beaches in the kingdom.

[steelepulse]

For those saying the resorts were in on it, I don't think so. They were named elsewhere and they are beachfront resorts. They were Club Med, Centara, and Le Meridien. They were Shanghaid to pay the extortionists, which paid the mayor, for the beach in front of their resorts.

All this talk of the mayor having to kick upstairs to BKK, that's a load of rubbish. The only guy he would have to kick up to would be the Phuket governor. Phuket and BKK have never gotten along.

[steelepulse]

I just read the gazette article and they had a translated version of one contract. It basically said, the hotel needs to pay the beach chair thug a certain amount of money for the space, and the hotel will be allowed to use it's own umbrellas and chairs in that location. Contract also states that beach chair thug has the right to sell drinks to these people.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phukets-billionbaht-illegal-beach-rental-scheme-exposed/36013#ad-image-0

[me313]

Now we have a clearer picture of the money these people claim to have contributed to the country.

As I said before, not even one Satang.

They all went to the pockets of the Mayor and his mafia colleagues.

Well done to the army for exposing another scum.

And commiserations to the people that don't like the present government.

How do you know that in the future money from tax revenues from legal beach operators will go to "the people" instead of to some other "legal" source which will use it to fund projects that will simply shift tourist money from the old network to new networks which, in turn, will enhance other "legal" beneficiaries of the tourist trade,with all investors included?

[jacko45k]

Lets hope they have to pay back every baht to the government plus time in the monkey house...

These to results are very likely opposing.

[o2eZy]

they earnt money from the proceeds of crime...in Australia all bank accounts would be frozen and assets seized till

you can prove how you obtained them....you can't prove how you obtained cash and assets legally and that you have

paid tax on your yearly income that would tie up with what you have earnt to what you have then all proceeds of crime would be forfeited to the courts....should be the same here in the land of smiles and mafia

[neilyboy]

Hear that? That's the sound of any chance of sunbeds returning to Phuket beaches evaporating.

To see the extent they are taking this (not only kicking them out but now charging the beach chair operators with crimes) I think the jet ski guys aren't being ignored, I think they are just farther back in the que.

i hope they get rid of them all they are maffia at the worst level, leave the beach for the people to enjoy ,it is even great to see the Thai children enjoying the FREE beach also, please keep it that way for all.

[joebrown]

I just read the gazette article and they had a translated version of one contract. It basically said, the hotel needs to pay the beach chair thug a certain amount of money for the space, and the hotel will be allowed to use it's own umbrellas and chairs in that location. Contract also states that beach chair thug has the right to sell drinks to these people.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phukets-billionbaht-illegal-beach-rental-scheme-exposed/36013#ad-image-0

"The hotel needs to pay the beach chair thug a certain amount of money for the space, and the hotel will be allowed to use it's own umbrellas in that location" !!!!!!!!!!!

Cheeky bas###ds all backed by corruption at the top in City Hall. The Ministry of Thai Education should consider bringing in a new degree for students, namely one in SCAMMING, then it's importance in the Thai culture could be appropriately recognised.

[Yann55]

Quote :

'Meanwhile, in a parallel case in the Administrative Court, the Kathu District Officer, the Mayor of Patong and Patong Municipality were accused of giving permission to Yutthana to occupy public beach for profit, but that court dismissed their cases.

During his trial Yutthana admitted his guilt but complained that he had been singled out unfairly because other sunbed operators at Tritrang had not been arrested. The judge responded that this was irrelevant.'

Is it necessary to comment, or do these statements speak for themselves ? Justice for everyone or only for those who can't pay and/or don't have enough clout ?

[Kru Baa]

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Lets hope they have to pay back every baht to the government plus time in the monkey house...

Yeah right. You know that's not going to happen.