Beach cleanup operation begins in Phuket

[Lite Beer]

Beach cleanup operation begins in Phuket

PHUKET: -- Cleanup operation of illegally-built property on Nai Yarng beach in Phuket began yesterday with more than 100 naval personnel and police taking part in the demolition of concrete structures trespassing on the beach.

The cleanup is part of the campaign of the military junta to return the beach to the people and clear the beach of influential people.

The Nai Yang beach has been encroached for over a decade with resorts, bars, restaurants being built on the beach which is in national park area.

The demolition encountered no resistance though a handful of business owners refused to vacate the vicinity until authorities decided to file criminal charges for trespassing on public property against them.

Authorities used backhoes to pull down the illegal structures as their owners look on but did not resist.

This beach strip is occupied with a number of restaurants, shops and bars which are being razed to the ground after the 30 day eviction notice deadline which was issued last month.

A total of 13 of the 22 businesses were dismantled yesterday and authorities hope to completely clear the area within a month.

Two structures which are the abodes of local residents on the strip will however be untouched. This is in line with the NCPO’s policy that the underprivileged are exempted from eviction.

Authorities however will temporarily withhold clearing another five businesses from the area as the proprietors had filed suits against the local authorities.

Talarng district land officer Mr Sitthichai Promchart stated that some of the business owners had submitted the ownership papers as proof of their entitlement to their respective plots.

But authorities however clarified that the papers submitted turned out to be falsified and have been registered to another plot of land located elsewhere.

He said authorities have investigated the ownership papers which were submitted as proof of ownership and have verified without a doubt that this is indeed public property.

On cross checking the ownership registration numbers, it turned out that those numbers have been used in the land title issue for the Indigo Pearl Hotel which is located elsewhere, he said.

In the case of the two properties belonging to Mr Arun Paewpan who had filed suits against the authorities, he presented a court order issued by the Phuket Court to exempt his properties from being removed.

In respect of the order, authorities have decided to temporarily hold off dismantling the structures for the time being. The court order which was dated 25 September 2014 did not provide any details to the suit .

“We have to respect the court’s order to exempt the two properties from being removed. This is however temporary. We will be requesting the Phuket Court to justify their decision of exempting these properties despite concrete proof that they are indeed located on public property,” one officer in charge of the removal said.

The Nai Yang beach front is a popular tourist destination and the problem of trespassing on public property is a long drawn out issue which received little attention until recently.

The blatant trespassing is alarming and a number of shops, restaurants, pubs and beer bars have mushroomed on this beach strip over the past decades to cater to tourists.

Phuket Island itself is a popular tourist destination and it is no wonder proprietors have made their attempt to grab a piece of this lucrative pie.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/beach-cleanup-operation-begins-phuket/

-- Phuket News 2014-09-27

[oldsailor35]

So ! will the "owners" of these wrecked buildings be given a bill to cover the costs to the municipality.

[Nowisee]

Good to see this happening. Sends a message... I hope

[brain150]

Good to see this happening. Sends a message... I hope

Yes, very good to see that people trying to make an income to support their

families making business with the agreement of the local [corrupt] administration

are now finally brought about their ability to make an income.

Surely the military will give them adequate opportunities to run their businesses

else were. The military will also provide jobs for all the employees who just lost their jobs.

... or maybe this is just a demonstration of power and it happens just accidently in one of

the most popular areas of Thailand so that all newspapers will report on this.

On an island where renting a property to run a normal business is simply too expensive

for almost all "normal" people this makes perfect sense ... only rich people are allowed to run a business !!!

Think twice about this ... this only hurts non rich people.

The rich [owners] will walk away and start over, the employees [poor] just lost it all.

[dieseldave1951]

whats proved to illeagle is illeagle no matter how long its been there, they have been lucky up till now

i can't see a problem and for once its thai against thai, they seen to get away with most offences but now they must reap the whirl wind good show, next stop cha-am hopefully

Good to see this happening. Sends a message... I hope

Yes, very good to see that people trying to make an income to support their

families making business with the agreement of the local [corrupt] administration

are now finally brought about their ability to make an income.

Surely the military will give them adequate opportunities to run their businesses

else were. The military will also provide jobs for all the employees who just lost their jobs.

... or maybe this is just a demonstration of power and it happens just accidently in one of

the most popular areas of Thailand so that all newspapers will report on this.

On an island where renting a property to run a normal business is simply too expensive

for almost all "normal" people this makes perfect sense ... only rich people are allowed to run a business !!!

Think twice about this ... this only hurts non rich people.

The rich [owners] will walk away and start over, the employees [poor] just lost it all.

[iReason]

"The blatant trespassing is alarming and a number of shops, restaurants, pubs and beer bars have mushroomed on this beach strip over the past decades to cater to tourists."

Not only are they there to rip off tourists, they rip of their own country while doing so.

Souless.

[sscsamui]

I hope they come here to Koh Samui and do the same... It is a mess and lots of same type of influential people {local Mafia} encroaching the public beaches.

[Ulic]

Good to see this happening. Sends a message... I hope

Yes, very good to see that people trying to make an income to support their

families making business with the agreement of the local [corrupt] administration

are now finally brought about their ability to make an income.

Surely the military will give them adequate opportunities to run their businesses

else were. The military will also provide jobs for all the employees who just lost their jobs.

... or maybe this is just a demonstration of power and it happens just accidental in one of

the most popular areas of Thailand so that all newspapers will report on this.

On an island where renting a property to run a normal business is simply too expensive

for almost all "normal" people this makes perfect sense ... only rich people are allowed to run a business !!!

Think twice about this ... this only hurts non rich people.

The rich [owners] will walk away and start over, the employees [poor] just lost it all.

Not sure I understand, are you suggesting crime should pay? Surely everyone who paid the corrupt officials where aware

that they were participating in an illegal business venture and while there was no thoughts corruption being stamped out

they would have known it was a possibility. Most have profited for quite some time and a probably far ahead in the game.

I really only have sympathy for people who genuinely did not know (probably foreigners) but even they know in Thailand it

is buyer beware and some of these land transfer scams can go back decades. The crooks can be very, very patient with

land transfers happening multiple times. As for staff there are plenty of jobs available in Phuket. Anybody not working

there is choosing not to work.

[PJcm]

Does anyone here believe this is permanent,? When the junta leaves within a year all will return. They know of no other way to do business and corruption is inherent tumor on this country.

[BlackJack]

making more room for jet skies

[stevenl]

Does anyone here believe this is permanent,? When the junta leaves within a year all will return. They know of no other way to do business and corruption is inherent tumor on this country.

I know some of the big hotels are changing their setup. Le Meridien for example is demolishing their basketball court, just made last year, and changing it into outdoor seating to accommodate their guests. They would not be doing this if they thought the present policy was to change anytime soon.

[Thongkorn]

Saw This in Sin City, Sorry Pattaya, they removed all the deck chairs, for a while, they where back soon though.

[PJcm]

Does anyone here believe this is permanent,? When the junta leaves within a year all will return. They know of no other way to do business and corruption is inherent tumor on this country.

I know some of the big hotels are changing their setup. Le Meridien for example is demolishing their basketball court, just made last year, and changing it into outdoor seating to accommodate their guests. They would not be doing this if they thought the present policy was to change anytime soon.

Believe what you will, my 37 years of residency tell me otherwise, too much money to be made in Phuket right now, when Phuket turns into Pattaya you will see them pick up and move to a better location. They will milk the proverbial cow till it's dry and destroy another gem in the ocean.

[Emster23]

I hear lots of demolition, but how are they doing on "cleanup"? A job half done is bigger eyesore than not done at all...

[JetsetBkk]

Believe what you will, my 37 years of residency tell me otherwise, too much money to be made in Phuket right now, when Phuket turns into Pattaya you will see them pick up and move to a better location. They will milk the proverbial cow till it's dry and destroy another gem in the ocean.

Oh, God. Where's that rope...