Farang tourists in uproar over beach beds prohibition in Phuket

[Alwyn]

I've read through some comments that have made me cringe One person reckons all tourists are cheap and pathetic, another reckons they're cheap low class motherflippers... I have no idea how that works but hey-ho.. It's all about expectations. If people pay good money to bring their families for two sun-soaked weeks which includes a bit of sunning on the beach in comfort and then find not only are they not allowed to rent a sunbed and parasol, buy a coke for the kids and are not even allowed to take their own chairs to avoid laying or red-hot filthy beaches, well they're expectations have not been met (even though previous years they could do this) and they will be unhappy. Then add to that they can't sit and have a glass of wine with their afternoon meal because of newly made draconian alchol laws, they will probably take their tourist dollars elsewhere next years. Let's face it, there are a lot of alternatives to choose from where you can rent a sunbed and you are allowed to use your own sunchairs. Goa, Brasil, Spain, Boracay etc etc.

[konying]

1. Why is the female crying in the video?

2. The big mouth claiming to come for 20 years and spending lots of money is wearing 60 baht singlet and standing over a chair( chair is not clear, out of focus, buts it's a chair)

So what exactly is a problem? And why was this video made?

To accompany the story would be a pretty solid guess. But your attitude is exactly why the tourist should and will go somewhere else. The "big mouth" and other tourists pay a lot of people's salaries. Why are p*ssing and moaning in your beer about it? (I know why but it would take me off-topic)

Its just chair to park your fat ass on,

Not exactly a life threatening measure or necessity.

She is crying because she can not rent a chair? Should get a life, there are by far bigger problems out there.

The big mouth, hardly spends any money, but if you think his 500 baht room and mama noodles meals from 7-11 is what supports Thai economy, you really need to get out more.

As already posted by many others, beaches around the world where its sand instead of rocks hardly ever have chairs, people use towels and survive just fine, they certainly do not go on video crying and making statements like "i spend lots of money" while in the mean time being dresses in the cheapest possible attire.

Sort of like pensioners,living off the pension in Thailand claiming to be the ones who make Thai economy work and if they were to leave, Thai economy will crash.

[konying]

I've read through some comments that have made me cringe One person reckons all tourists are cheap and pathetic, another reckons they're cheap low class motherflippers... I have no idea how that works but hey-ho.. It's all about expectations. If people pay good money to bring their families for two sun-soaked weeks which includes a bit of sunning on the beach in comfort and then find not only are they not allowed to rent a sunbed and parasol, buy a coke for the kids and are not even allowed to take their own chairs to avoid laying or red-hot filthy beaches, well they're expectations have not been met (even though previous years they could do this) and they will be unhappy. Then add to that they can't sit and have a glass of wine with their afternoon meal because of newly made draconian alchol laws, they will probably take their tourist dollars elsewhere next years. Let's face it, there are a lot of alternatives to choose from where you can rent a sunbed and you are allowed to use your own sunchairs. Goa, Brasil, Spain, Boracay etc etc.

Wine with their meal

7-11 does not sell wine by the glass, and its not chilled.

[Alwyn]

1. Why is the female crying in the video?

2. The big mouth claiming to come for 20 years and spending lots of money is wearing 60 baht singlet and standing over a chair( chair is not clear, out of focus, buts it's a chair)

So what exactly is a problem? And why was this video made?

To accompany the story would be a pretty solid guess. But your attitude is exactly why the tourist should and will go somewhere else. The "big mouth" and other tourists pay a lot of people's salaries. Why are p*ssing and moaning in your beer about it? (I know why but it would take me off-topic)

Its just chair to park your fat ass on,

Not exactly a life threatening measure or necessity.

She is crying because she can not rent a chair? Should get a life, there are by far bigger problems out there.

The big mouth, hardly spends any money, but if you think his 500 baht room and mama noodles meals from 7-11 is what supports Thai economy, you really need to get out more.

As already posted by many others, beaches around the world where its sand instead of rocks hardly ever have chairs, people use towels and survive just fine, they certainly do not go on video crying and making statements like "i spend lots of money" while in the mean time being dresses in the cheapest possible attire.

Sort of like pensioners,living off the pension in Thailand claiming to be the ones who make Thai economy work and if they were to leave, Thai economy will crash.

I get the part about the pensioners living in Thailand (although a lot of them are very, very wealthy) But the rest I can't agree with. I prefer a sunbed personally, I don't have a fat ass and I'm certainly not poor or cheap. I don't like laying on red hot sand, filthy sand at that. I never went to Patong beach or other mad busy beaches but the reason those beaches are full (like Pattaya and Jomtien) is because of the amount oh hotel accommodation in those towns, so the problem is deeper than "sunbeds" in those areas. By the way, why do you say "big mouth" spends 500 baht a day? Do you know him?

You say there beaches around the World that don't have sunbeds. This is true, but there are many beaches around the World that are far nicer than beaches in Thailand that DO allow them. Goa & Brazil (where the really nice beaches are) for example and they seem to still be surviving, right? It's all about choice, if these people came expecting what they had just last year and are disappointed because they cannot have a sunbed then next year they might join ther others who can enjoy a sunbed and get a bit of lunch on the beach in Goa or maybe Bali. Thailand's (or rather the Thai people's) loss and Bali/Goa etc gain

[slipperylobster]

These tourists are just not up to speed on the way things work here. Common sense will not prevail.

The local governments actually has a lottery on who gets to run chairs and umbrellas, food, and jet skis. Although you will not see money being payed outright....there is quite a bit of wheeling and dealing. Once they get their seedy businesses up and running, the "protectors" get their greasy hands on the the profits...and some vendors even sell their parcels for big money.

Our rules will never apply. It is quite proven that the "Local Powers" and influential families will definitely overide any laws or beat-walking policemen.

Fogettaboudit. If you play by their rules, your backside will be a bit sore, and your wallet will be lighter...but that is the Nature of the Beast here. I have yet to see a tourist win.

Why would you expect tourists who come here for their 2 weeks of sunshine to be up to speed with the way things work here? They probably don't spend an hour a day on TV checking out what nonsense ia going on and if they have been coming for a while and last year they could use sun loungers provided (at a cost) and now they can't even take their own chairs to avoid laying on red-hot filthy sand, it's not surprising they're a bit upset as their expectations have been cushed

I actually give them more credit than that. I think they probably are aware...seeing all the chairs prestaged and all the tough looking vendors walking around.

I might give it a try myself, but somehow, putting up my own chair ...next to a vendors chair...would make me feel foolish...or at best....an ignorant tourist trying to prove a point, with nothing but an opinion on how thailand should operate....

Only weapon to fight back is an offended look and a shrug.

Still will lose.

Plenty of sunshine in Florida. And you bring all the chairs you want, without a second look.

pretty laughable.

Edited February 17, 2015 by slipperylobster

[Dukeleto]

A lot of the attraction for some people coming to Thailand is "not being told what to do" or "ordered around by authorities or signs prohibiting everything". Many people were attracted by the sense of freedom to do anything without being told "you can't". Coming to a place where everything was at hand to service the tourist and everything was "no problem" was an attraction in itself and something Thailand was or has been quite famous for. A sort of "anything goes" obviously within reason. I understand new governments wanting to clean things up and reclaim the beaches etc but when you advance one thing so it has a knock on affect which negatively impacts another. The problem in Thailand, in this regard, as I see it is that there is not enough forethought put into anything and certainly there is no gathering of information to predict what the knock on affect will be. Many people ( the majority) of tourists coming to Phuket, which is, without a doubt, it's main and only income enjoyed the "one stop" beach experience. To be able to hire a comfortable lounger for the day, which is cleaned for you, and watched over by the owner and his or hers workers/ family. Food made to order almost within arms length and a massage right there on the beach if you so chose. There were lots of areas at both ends of Patong beach where people who wanted a more secluded atmosphere could go and place a towel on the sand. I did this many times when I just wanted a 30 minute swim and then leave. If I took friends down to the beach for the whole day then a lounger and umbrella were "de rigueur". Yes, if you live here, it does not really matter to most as you don't spend each day lounging on the beach, but to the guy who has a week or two holiday this is important. How is anyone going to enjoy the beach for the whole day if they cannot get some respite from the sun and sand but still enjoy the sights and sounds of the beach with other like-minded tourists?

I have been a long time resident of Phuket but I think the authorities could have handled this much much better than they have and a very nice balance could have been struck between providing a service and amenities for holiday makers (Phuket's life blood) and local Thai operators who supply this service. Hell! They still could! But unfortunately it won't happen and they will keep stumbling around. A shame really.

[DrTuner]

Sunbathing is incomprehensible to the current rulers, who would want to get brown? Ban it.

[Alwyn]

I've read through some comments that have made me cringe One person reckons all tourists are cheap and pathetic, another reckons they're cheap low class motherflippers... I have no idea how that works but hey-ho.. It's all about expectations. If people pay good money to bring their families for two sun-soaked weeks which includes a bit of sunning on the beach in comfort and then find not only are they not allowed to rent a sunbed and parasol, buy a coke for the kids and are not even allowed to take their own chairs to avoid laying or red-hot filthy beaches, well they're expectations have not been met (even though previous years they could do this) and they will be unhappy. Then add to that they can't sit and have a glass of wine with their afternoon meal because of newly made draconian alchol laws, they will probably take their tourist dollars elsewhere next years. Let's face it, there are a lot of alternatives to choose from where you can rent a sunbed and you are allowed to use your own sunchairs. Goa, Brasil, Spain, Boracay etc etc.

Wine with their meal

7-11 does not sell wine by the glass, and its not chilled.

You would know more about drinking at 7-11 than me but I'll take your word on it. Where us civilised people would go is to Layan beach to one of the beach bar/restaurants such as the Reggae Bar and enjoy a nice chilled glass of white wine on a Sunday afternoon with the seafood lunch and a bit of live music (which has all gone now of course thanks to the Junta). Not all of Phuket is like Patong, up north in the laguna and layan area it's very nice

[Alwyn]

Here's a nice update. The governor of Phuket has now banned eating and smoking on the beaches. Towels are allowed anywhere, but sunchairs AND PARASOLS are only permitted in the 10% allocated areas. So if you want to lay in the sun outside of those areas, say hello to Mr Skin Cancer. Also.. can you imagine the local "franchises" who are permitted to rent out the sunbeds welcoming you with open arms if you bring your own sunlounger or parasol!!!

[konying]

I've read through some comments that have made me cringe One person reckons all tourists are cheap and pathetic, another reckons they're cheap low class motherflippers... I have no idea how that works but hey-ho.. It's all about expectations. If people pay good money to bring their families for two sun-soaked weeks which includes a bit of sunning on the beach in comfort and then find not only are they not allowed to rent a sunbed and parasol, buy a coke for the kids and are not even allowed to take their own chairs to avoid laying or red-hot filthy beaches, well they're expectations have not been met (even though previous years they could do this) and they will be unhappy. Then add to that they can't sit and have a glass of wine with their afternoon meal because of newly made draconian alchol laws, they will probably take their tourist dollars elsewhere next years. Let's face it, there are a lot of alternatives to choose from where you can rent a sunbed and you are allowed to use your own sunchairs. Goa, Brasil, Spain, Boracay etc etc.

Wine with their meal

7-11 does not sell wine by the glass, and its not chilled.

You would know more about drinking at 7-11 than me but I'll take your word on it. Where us civilised people would go is to Layan beach to one of the beach bar/restaurants such as the Reggae Bar and enjoy a nice chilled glass of white wine on a Sunday afternoon with the seafood lunch and a bit of live music (which has all gone now of course thanks to the Junta). Not all of Phuket is like Patong, up north in the laguna and layan area it's very nice

Well, hi-so like yourself with all the wealth and class you posses would be aware that having wine in the restaurant or a hotel is not illegal or forbidden.

So for you to state it is, would mean either

1. Your buying and drinking is done at 7-11

2. You have never sat a foot in decent restaurant or hotel .

PS. The rich and famous can afford beachfront resorts where plenty of sunbeds and drinks available and sand is NOT red, but again you would know that since you posses all the wealth

Edited February 17, 2015 by konying

[IslandLover]

Shaunduhpostman, on 17 Feb 2015 - 07:14, said:

Lots of other nicer beaches in the region, if only because they haven't been overrun by mass tourism to the extent Patong has. Once you start getting told by police don't do that, don't do this citing various mutually contradictory maybe cancelled and/or sometimes enforced rules or the other on our beach, I think you can safely say it's been overrun.

Malaysia right next door has several island resorts, Pulau Tioman, Perhentian Islands spring to mind. Palawan or Boracay in the Phillipines, Bali still has some relatively unspoiled beaches and even the ones in the mass tourist areas are wide enough that there is no possibility for nearly the whole beach to be covered with umbrellas. Vietnam seems to have some nice wide stretches of beach as well.

Many other good reasons not to go to Phuket either such as police protection for violent locals, we are all well aware of the problems in the southern resort areas. The sell by date has long since passed on these places and tourists are also shooting themselves in the foot by continuing to go there

I first came to Phuket in 1982 and stayed on Patong beach. Then there was just one hotel and a few beach bungalows, mostly without electricity. The beach had colourful parasols and deckchairs to rent. I chose to lay on the sand. It's OK when you are young and fit. I will not do that anymore and unless things change, I will not be returning to Phuket (the last time I visited was just over a year ago, before things went belly up in Thailand).

The problem I see is that the locals have become too greedy and there is/was just too much of everything on and near the beaches. Moderation is the key to striking the right balance. Surin beach was a prime example of too much of everything. A couple of years ago I visited Naithon beach where there were just a few sun loungers to rent and one small beach restaurant. It was heaven and reminded me of the Phuket of old.

But what about the high end resorts like the Surin (formerly the Chedi) and the Amanpuri? Have they been forced to remove their sun loungers from the beach? I so, I would be royally p****d off if I was staying there and paying those prices. I have stayed at the Chedi several times and I guess I am the kind of tourist that the new government is trying to attract. Unfortunately we are the ones who demand a bit of comfort and facilities on a beach.

I know of no beach in southern Europe where you are not allowed to take your own beach chair and parasol. It is commonplace in Spain and Greece. Does this idiotic rule only apply to Phuket or has it also spread to Krabi and Khaolak?

So, unless things change for the better in Thailand my next long-haul trip will be to somewhere else.

[englishoak]

Morons are biting the tourist hand that feeds them....

[wedders]

<deleted> tourists....

Who is going to bring their own beachbed to the beach?? Pathetic, cheap people, same as the reactions here

I don't understand your comment. People can not use sunbeds provided unless they go to the 10% area of sand which is rammed-crammed like sardines. So if they don't want to sit on red-hot filthy sand and prefer to take their own lounger/sunbed you think they are pathetic and cheap? How does that work?

I go to the beach near Central quite regularly. It's not just a question of lying on a towel on the beach "like people used to do". It was convenient, you could just turn up on a whim, no towel needed. The forest of parasols provide perfect shade - not everyone wants to sit and fry in the sun. And it's perfect for having a foot massage (complete shade necessary). People on hand to bring you a cold coke or food. And it doesn't get full of sand, with the tables provided.

If they extend the Wednesday rule to other days, I shan't bother going again.

[Alwyn]

I've read through some comments that have made me cringe One person reckons all tourists are cheap and pathetic, another reckons they're cheap low class motherflippers... I have no idea how that works but hey-ho.. It's all about expectations. If people pay good money to bring their families for two sun-soaked weeks which includes a bit of sunning on the beach in comfort and then find not only are they not allowed to rent a sunbed and parasol, buy a coke for the kids and are not even allowed to take their own chairs to avoid laying or red-hot filthy beaches, well they're expectations have not been met (even though previous years they could do this) and they will be unhappy. Then add to that they can't sit and have a glass of wine with their afternoon meal because of newly made draconian alchol laws, they will probably take their tourist dollars elsewhere next years. Let's face it, there are a lot of alternatives to choose from where you can rent a sunbed and you are allowed to use your own sunchairs. Goa, Brasil, Spain, Boracay etc etc.

Wine with their meal

7-11 does not sell wine by the glass, and its not chilled.

You would know more about drinking at 7-11 than me but I'll take your word on it. Where us civilised people would go is to Layan beach to one of the beach bar/restaurants such as the Reggae Bar and enjoy a nice chilled glass of white wine on a Sunday afternoon with the seafood lunch and a bit of live music (which has all gone now of course thanks to the Junta). Not all of Phuket is like Patong, up north in the laguna and layan area it's very nice

Well, hi-so like yourself with all the wealth and class you posses would be aware that having wine in the restaurant or a hotel is not illegal or forbidden.

So for you to state it is, would mean either

1. Your buying and drinking is done at 7-11

2. You have never sat a foot in decent restaurant or hotel .

PS. The rich and famous can afford beachfront resorts where plenty of sunbeds and drinks available and sand is NOT red, but again you would know that since you posses all the wealth

You really are a dense aren't you. Where did you get "red sand" from? Oh I know, it's where I wrote "red-hot sand" The hyphen between the two words "red" and "hot" is a grammatical use of the hyphen to indicate the beach is "red hot" and filthy (in this particular case) Would you like my 6 year old niece to give you some free lessons on the English language?

As far as I'm aware the sale of alcohol is forbidden between the hours of 2p.m. and 5p.m. and that includes restaurants. If I'm wrong then I apologise (not to you, you're a moron, but to anybody else it might have confused). But I feel I'm correct as here's the new law for you to digest (or part of it) As I do know most restaurants are not legally registered entertainment venues, as a lot of hotels aren't then this will help you to understand things a bit better. Maybe.. When you say i have probably never been to a restaurant before I guess you're not including the one I owned in Koh Samui (Le Chablis in Chaweng) not the two I owned in Phuket (the most well known being the Hilltop)?

Alcohol beverages can now only be sold from 11.00 am – 2.00 pm and from 5.00 pm – 12.00 am every day.

An announcement was made today by the Prime Minister’s Office on the 2015 law regulating alcohol sales which takes effect today.

At all other times, alcohol sales are strictly forbidden with the exception of at international airport terminals and legally registered entertainment venues which have laws that strictly govern the periods they can operate daily.

I'm bored with you now as you clearly have the IQ of a demented Welsh pit pony so I say AMF and leave you to continue whatever it is you do that gives you total lack of understanding in anything there is to understand.

[konying]

You really are a dense aren't you. Where did you get "red sand" from? Oh I know, it's where I wrote "red-hot sand" The hyphen between the two words "red" and "hot" is a grammatical use of the hyphen to indicate the beach is "red hot" and filthy (in this particular case) Would you like my 6 year old niece to give you some free lessons on the English language?

As far as I'm aware the sale of alcohol is forbidden between the hours of 2p.m. and 5p.m. and that includes restaurants. If I'm wrong then I apologise (not to you, you're a moron, but to anybody else it might have confused). But I feel I'm correct as here's the new law for you to digest (or part of it) As I do know most restaurants are not legally registered entertainment venues, as a lot of hotels aren't then this will help you to understand things a bit better. Maybe.. When you say i have probably never been to a restaurant before I guess you're not including the one I owned in Koh Samui (Le Chablis in Chaweng) not the two I owned in Phuket (the most well known being the Hilltop)?

Alcohol beverages can now only be sold from 11.00 am – 2.00 pm and from 5.00 pm – 12.00 am every day.

An announcement was made today by the Prime Minister’s Office on the 2015 law regulating alcohol sales which takes effect today.

At all other times, alcohol sales are strictly forbidden with the exception of at international airport terminals and legally registered entertainment venues which have laws that strictly govern the periods they can operate daily.

I'm bored with you now as you clearly have the IQ of a demented Welsh pit pony so I say AMF and leave you to continue whatever it is you do that gives you total lack of understanding in anything there is to understand.

So just to get this right, i am a moron with low IQ, while your gracious self who does not have a clue what happens in Thailand and gets all his profound knowledge from reading some news clips, understands and knows all there is to know about Thailand? Did i get this correct?

So your understanding of no alcohol translated to Thai bashing of no alcohol with your meal?

And of course being quality as you are, even assuming you were correct, naturally drinking between 2pm-5pm is natural.

And now you are the owner of 3 restaurants, yet you do not know what the actual law is. But i am the moron.

I guess, its a good thing you are the one with high IQ

And you KNOW most restaurant and hotel are NOT registered. would you care to share how you developed all that profound knowledge?

Its ok, was a rhetorical question, would not want to bother you in that fantasy land

[Shadychris]

Here's a nice update. The governor of Phuket has now banned eating and smoking on the beaches. Towels are allowed anywhere, but sunchairs AND PARASOLS are only permitted in the 10% allocated areas. So if you want to lay in the sun outside of those areas, say hello to Mr Skin Cancer. Also.. can you imagine the local "franchises" who are permitted to rent out the sunbeds welcoming you with open arms if you bring your own sunlounger or parasol!!!

"The governor of Phuket has now banned eating and smoking on the beaches"

Banning smoking on beaches is a good idea. Although a smoker myself I can well appreciate that others sat nearby may not want the pleasure of my second hand smoke wafting over them. I've also had the very painful experience of having walked barefoot on a still red hot butt-end thoughtlessly flipped on the sand by some ignoramus. Banning eating on the beach? maybe a bit extreme but given that so many people just dump their used containers, bottles, cans and other crap where they were sat, because of course someone else will come along and clear up after them, maybe that's not such a bad idea too. Yes, the responsible ones will lose out, but isn't that often the case when the irresponsible amongst us have to legislated against...

I'm rather at a loss about the whole sunbed and parasol thing. Lying on a sunbed under an umbrella - isn't that an oxymoron? If you dont want the sun on your body then why not just stay in the shade in the first place - or if you want to lie in the sun but are scared of skin cancer then simply cover up with some cool loose clothing.

It also seems that the OP relates to people's use of their own sunbeds\parasols. Now I've been through the airport many times and I've yet to see tourists collecting their own sunbeds and parasols in the baggage reclaim area.... Don't seem to recall them flocking to places like Home Mart to spend their hard earned holiday cash on buying these items either. So maybe it's the case that these people who are bringing their own beach furniture are actually living here for some time already - which kind of raises the question why on earth have they not yet learnt enough Thai to understand that they were not being told to move off the beach - just to move to the designated area.

[AZBill]

Thailand is getting a lot of negative press. My cousin owns a travel agency and she says Thailand has become a no go for many clients these days. She cites safety concerns as the biggest factor. She is also not recommending Thailand and is instead directing clients to Singapore. Thailand is going to regret a lot of decisions in the next few years. We aren't going back.