Koh Chang beach vendors face New Year crackdown

[webfact]

Koh Chang beach vendors face New Year crackdown

English-language signage will be placed at the ferry pier to provide information on public transportation services available in Koh Chang. Photo: Rita-images

KOH CHANG: -- Officials plan to launch a New Year crackdown on beachfront transportation operators and motorcycle-rental agents in order to reclaim public property and ensure tourists aren’t cheated.

Trat deputy governor Prathan Surekitbavorn said that, starting early next year, Koh Chang District and municipal officials will strictly regulate traders and services aimed at tourists.

The province’s Damrongtham Centre earlier has received complaints about public transport and vendors blocking traffic lanes with vehicles, rental motorcycles and furniture.

The province is asking police and the military to assist with enforcing rules on the traders, particularly in regard to parking lots for public buses and motorcycles for rent.

After implementation of the new rules, about 800m of beachfront should be left open for tourists.

The municipality now offers three parking lots per rental bike operator. It has a total of 105 lots available and currently there are 31 operators registered with the municipality.

The municipality prohibits the vendors from reserving parking spaces by placing chairs or cars in lots allocated for motorcycles, but the prohibition is routinely ignored.

Sanya Kerdmanee, Mayor of Koh Chang, said the public buses and van operators are also required to supervise vehicles under their control and not overcharge. Clear signs will be posted to inform passengers of the correct fares.

English-language signage will also be placed at the ferry pier to provide information on public transport services available on the island.

“Koh Chang is a famous tourist destination known globally, so it is necessary to regulate the operators before the situation gets out of control,” Mr Sanya said.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/koh-chang-beach-vendors-face-new-year-crackdown-50289.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-26

[Costas2008]

Oh No.........MrToad will be out of work

[Crazy chef 1]

Oh No.........MrToad will be out of work

no worries it's just about motor bikes rentals-not wheel chairs...

[beenhere2long]

the bike rental people are not a problem..the over speeding retarded minibus drivers are.

[jaywalker]

"The province’s Damrongtham Centre earlier has received complaints about public transport and vendors blocking traffic lanes with vehicles, rental motorcycles and furniture."

What is it with Asians & crowding every last bit of everything imaginable into tiny spaces?

Let's build 2 feet off the edge of the road & leave zero room for parking....AND let's put s&it everywhere on the road.

Taiwan is the same way.

[Lupatria]

To bring happiness to the people they should also give the exact time for the crackdown, so Somchai can make plans for his lunchbreak

[ToddinChonburi]

Starting early next year !!!! He wants to wait until after tourist season to protect the tourist.

[louse1953]

Phuket news trying to divert news away from their own patch!!!

[Jimbolai]

Thanks for the warnings. I had a trip to Koh Chang planned but will put it on hold indefinitely. Who needs the hassle?

While they are ad it, please get rid of rental bike parking along beach road in Pattaya. there are 25 x more bikes parked there than will ever be rented leaving no place to park for visitors.

[AlQaholic]

"The province’s Damrongtham Centre earlier has received complaints about public transport and vendors blocking traffic lanes with vehicles, rental motorcycles and furniture."

What is it with Asians & crowding every last bit of everything imaginable into tiny spaces?

Let's build 2 feet off the edge of the road & leave zero room for parking....AND let's put s&it everywhere on the road.

Taiwan is the same way.

Agree completely. Say for example G.B. has somewhere around 80M people living on that Tiny set of Islands, and yet if one travels there one encounters vast areas of nature or farmland unpopulated, while for example in Thailand wherever you go there is always people around.

[freedom4life]

Crackdown this and crackdown that...why do I see this noun being used on Thaivisa often? I'm sure I'm not the only one who dislikes this noun being used in association with Thailand...a supposed getaway and relaxing destination for many...a repressive term doesn't fit the bill, so stop using it. If you don't like the way Thailand is...leave. I will always see it as my home of real freedom and a real free market, unlike the pathetic west which is turning into a sick, demented and politically-correct nightmare..yuk.

[Briggsy]

"The province’s Damrongtham Centre earlier has received complaints about public transport and vendors blocking traffic lanes with vehicles, rental motorcycles and furniture."

What is it with Asians & crowding every last bit of everything imaginable into tiny spaces?

Let's build 2 feet off the edge of the road & leave zero room for parking....AND let's put s&it everywhere on the road.

Taiwan is the same way.

The answer is because countries like the UK have regulations which are strictly enforced. If you commandeer the pavement for your own business, the local council and police will be visiting you and issuing fines within a short period of time. Commandeer the actual road, and thus cause an obstruction to traffic flow and / or parking and you will find the police or a traffic warden there within a few hours, guaranteed.

Thailand does not have strict enforcement of regulations. Thus businesses "rent" bits of pavement and road off the municipal police or other enforcement agencies and grab whatever else space they can. The result is a blocked pavement and reduction of the road space.

It is an easily observed difference between the two cultures. Go to Asian-occupied areas of Europe. They recreate the messy chaos as much as they are permitted to. I believe it is a strong cultural trait based on having little faith in other's or competitiors' willingness to follow the rules so everyone tries to bend or flagrantly disobey the rules to get the most they can. Only suckers and losers would obey the rules in that environment.

[Alwyn]

how about a crackdown on murderers?

[biplanebluey]

To bring happiness to the people they should also give the exact time for the crackdown, so Somchai can make plans for his lunchbreak

"early next year"---------- Probably after the big rush of the season

[jaywalker]

"The province’s Damrongtham Centre earlier has received complaints about public transport and vendors blocking traffic lanes with vehicles, rental motorcycles and furniture."

What is it with Asians & crowding every last bit of everything imaginable into tiny spaces?

Let's build 2 feet off the edge of the road & leave zero room for parking....AND let's put s&it everywhere on the road.

Taiwan is the same way.

The answer is because countries like the UK have regulations which are strictly enforced. If you commandeer the pavement for your own business, the local council and police will be visiting you and issuing fines within a short period of time. Commandeer the actual road, and thus cause an obstruction to traffic flow and / or parking and you will find the police or a traffic warden there within a few hours, guaranteed.

Thailand does not have strict enforcement of regulations. Thus businesses "rent" bits of pavement and road off the municipal police or other enforcement agencies and grab whatever else space they can. The result is a blocked pavement and reduction of the road space.

It is an easily observed difference between the two cultures. Go to Asian-occupied areas of Europe. They recreate the messy chaos as much as they are permitted to. I believe it is a strong cultural trait based on having little faith in other's or competitiors' willingness to follow the rules so everyone tries to bend or flagrantly disobey the rules to get the most they can. Only suckers and losers would obey the rules in that environment.

A pack of Laotians moved in 1/4 mile/400 meter down the road from my Mom's house in Florida. She's lived there almost 50 years & it's in the country.

They insist on having parties with 17 foot tall speakers BLARING AWAY as loud as possible.

Here I was, sitting in her back yard, listening to crickets chirp & owls hoot, when BLAM!

It was like I was down the street from a Thai wedding or funeral or something.

Those Laotian picked the WRONG Farang to irritate that day. I called the sheriff's office on the IDIOTS.

Fricking retards.

[mickyboy]

my biggest annoying thing is the way the so called 5* resorts have encroched onto the beach so there is hardley any beach left at lot the resorts specialey white sands where the hotel swimming pools fil the bech when the tide is in as for beach vemdors they ok just nod and say no thanks

[mrtoad]

Beach vendors on Koh Chang are not too bad. There's also no Jet Skus which is great.

If the mayor wanted to something beneficial he'd be looking at tighter regulation on the minibus and taxi drivers, as well as the crap ferry service. Fat chance though of that happening.

[affen02]

Having the last 10 or so yrs seen Koh Chang change from a relaxed beautiful place where one could drive from small village to village on the road out to Bang Bao. These days Koh Chang could be called a city all the way from the ferry and out to Bang Bao. The explotion of building of hotels, motels, bars and other buissneses along this road have been fenomenal. I hope the government would take a look at what have been buildt on public land on Chang as they have done other places. It would be a pity to loose this pearl og an island to commercial intrests only. And remember to pay your 40 Bth or so for parking your car at the entrance to the Bang Bao pier, if not the f...faces will let the air out of at least one of your cartyres. There must be some very strong forces in attendence at the island for letting this place go to shaite so one can only hope that the central goverment will use its full powers to clran up this place like it has done other places like down south or Kohrat and so one.

[mrtoad]

Affen, I've had a place on the island for about 5 years, it has changed for sure. Some of the developments really shouldn't have been allowed. As for Bang Bao, the parking areas are private land,owned by the same family on both sides of the road, but at war with one another. I don't park there out of principle. The area to the right is an absolute disgrace, and the local authorities should enforce it to be cleaned up. There are still a few nice spots on the West side of the island, but agree that they are all slowly merging together, Chai Chet, Khlong Prao and Kae Bae will eventually all be on big area with no separation.

Sadly, some of the priorities like a proper road by passing Kae Bae, the completion of the road between BB and SP, proper enforcements on Taxis, road repairs, road lighting , garbage collection and recycling, and proper planning permissions aren't on the top of the list.