Noticed a Change at the Beach Today

[DrDave]

Today, being the second day of high season, and the second day of the Phuket Carnival at Patong, I noticed a big change relative to jetskis and parasails at Patong Beach. The jetskis were all moored out in the water - none were on the sand. When they had a customer, the jetski guys would swim out and pull one in to the wet area of sand near the waterline. Once their customer was ready to go, about 4 guys would carry it out to the water.

Similarly, the parasail guys were hauling all their equipment to the very back of the beach after each ride, rather than leaving it all over the beach.

Also, the roaming vendors were noticeably nervous - the wife says they were asking the massage ladies to warn them if they see any "inspectors" coming.

I'm wondering if this is due to the 3-day carnival, or (hopefully) new rules for high season. While the carnival is going on, there's a large presence of uniformed "Patong Municipality Law Enforcement" guys along the beachfront. My guess is that the "enforcement" guys will disappear and things will go back to normal after the carnival wraps up.

[falkan]

ban them all, parasail/jetski to beach vendors..

[LivinginKata]

This morning at Kata Beach I noticed that the Jet Ski guys did not get the memo about no jet skis on the sand. I saw 3 on trailers on the beach. I suppose that was down from the usual 9 or 10. About 4 were parked on the road.

[Pinot]

I are no changes at Kamala Beach. There is no reason to make any changes because there is no enforcement.

[mikebell]

People still still hire jet-skis?

[madmitch]

This morning at Kata Beach I noticed that the Jet Ski guys did not get the memo about no jet skis on the sand. I saw 3 on trailers on the beach. I suppose that was down from the usual 9 or 10. About 4 were parked on the road.

I might be wrong but I think I have only seen Patong Beach referred to with regards to this.

[DrDave]

This morning at Kata Beach I noticed that the Jet Ski guys did not get the memo about no jet skis on the sand. I saw 3 on trailers on the beach. I suppose that was down from the usual 9 or 10. About 4 were parked on the road.

I might be wrong but I think I have only seen Patong Beach referred to with regards to this.

Good to have reports from other area beaches. Based upon what's happening elsewhere, I think the adherence to the rules (sort of) at Patong has more to do with the 3-day carnival than any permanent changes/enforcement. Waiting to see what happens over the next few days.

[hansgruber]

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

Army didn't leave anyone to enforce their order. Back to business as usual.

Sent from my LG-D858

Edited November 3, 2014 by hansgruber

[masuk]

Does anyone have information about Jom Tien Beach at Pattaya? Are the sun chairs and umbrellas still there? No use going if there's no shade.

[stevenl]

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

Army didn't leave anyone to enforce their order. Back to business as usual.

Sent from my LG-D858

Unfortunately I have to agree with that.

[N47HAN]

Does anyone have information about Jom Tien Beach at Pattaya? Are the sun chairs and umbrellas still there? No use going if there's no shade.

Maybe better you ask in the pattaya forum i guess :-)

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jpeg]

People still still hire jet-skis?

Yes. The knuckle draggers are still breeding.

[steelepulse]

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

Army didn't leave anyone to enforce their order. Back to business as usual.

Sent from my LG-D858

I spoke to a friend of mine that just earlier had spoken to the head Army General here. What was shocking was the total number of Army personnel stationed here, and it's in the low to mid double digits in total. Hard to enforce anything with these numbers. On the bright side, he said the big guy said they would be here for "at least two years".

Edited November 3, 2014 by steelepulse

[Peterocket]

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

Army didn't leave anyone to enforce their order. Back to business as usual.

Sent from my LG-D858

On the bright side, he said the big guy said they would be here for "at least two years".

That's the bright side?!

[DrDave]

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

Army didn't leave anyone to enforce their order. Back to business as usual.

Sent from my LG-D858

On the bright side, he said the big guy said they would be here for "at least two years".

That's the bright side?!

I think steelepulse was referring to Army personnel, not jet skis (although I wouldn't be surprised if the jet skis remained for a long time).

[steelepulse]

Yes correct, although it's a shame there are more jet skis than Army personnel. If the Army wasn't here at all, it would have been business as usual the very next day after a "crackdown", so at least they are slowing the return to the status quo.

[Peterocket]

Yes correct, although it's a shame there are more jet skis than Army personnel. If the Army wasn't here at all, it would have been business as usual the very next day after a "crackdown", so at least they are slowing the return to the status quo.

[madmitch]

Just seen in the Gazette a Russian tourist was killed riding a jet-ski today. Not made the news page here yet for some reason. Initial thoughts are why are they renting out jet-skis in conditions like those today? Oh, I know the answer: MONEY!

[DrDave]

Update: Today (Nov 6) several jet skis moored at Patong Beach, but most on the sand (below the high water mark), clustered about every 100 - 150 meters along the beach. In the area where we were sitting there were 7 on the sand, and about 3 moored. Every time a customer rented one (which wasn't very often), they would haul one of the moored ones onto the beach, so that they always had 7 on the sand.

I would expect that in about a week's time, it'll be back to business as usual, with the jet skis on trailers taking up all the prime beach area under the trees again.

As others have said, when the cat's away, the mice will play.