Cigarettes out but snacks allowed on Phuket beaches if waste-free

[webfact]

Cigarettes out but snacks allowed on Phuket beaches if waste-free
Nattha Thepbamrung



PHUKET: -- Addressing confusion stirred-up when local media reported this past week that eating was no longer allowed on Phuket beaches, Phuket Governor, Nisit Jansomwong has clarified that eating is in fact allowed.

Speaking to The Phuket News, Gov Nisit said that his comments about food – made at a meeting on Tuesday (February 17), held to clarify details of the beach management system – were not aimed at eating, but at keeping beaches garbage free.

He was in fact referring to a long existing law, Section 20 of the Public Health Act (2535BE), which stipulates that the environment of public spaces must be kept clean, prohibiting the disposal of waste – defined as “food scraps, food containers, paper or plastic packaging, manure and human waste (which includes) faeces, urine or anything that is foul or filthy”.

Gov Nisit said “Snacks such as crisps and pre-packed items are okay, however, when it comes to dishes such as Som Tam, rice-dishes and other common “beach foods”, those who choose to eat them should ensure that they keep the beaches garbage free.”

He said the main target of the regulation is garbage deriving from disposable bags and polystyrene containers, as these are a large source of garbage.

Phuket currently produces no less than 700 tonnes of solid waste per day, the current incineration capacity.

He noted that most of the food waste on Phuket beaches comes from vendors, who are forbidden by Section 34 of the Public Health Act to sell food on all public land without a permit.
Despite this law, and the government’s mandate to enforce it, some business operators have continued to defy the rules.

The Phuket News inspected the situation at Kamala Beach on February 18, and met a group of vendors who were clearly selling beverages on the sand.

The Phuket News understands that there are at least 16 illegal vendors at Kamala, of whom at least nine have received citations for violating the regulation.

"Nine of us have cases that are in the court now but I still see big hotels still can put beach loungers and umbrellas on the prohibited zones," Chalermkiet Thonghom, a beverage business operator who claims to have worked on the beach for more than 10 years told The Phuket News.

"Tourism will be destroyed … tourists here who usually visit my shop every year have changed their destinations like Vietnam, Mexico and Indonesia … The people who are here already said they will not come back anymore."

The Phuket News also found one privately-owned plot of land next to the beach, where between 7 to 10 vendors were legitimately selling beverages.

On February 18, Vice Governor clarified to The Phuket News that no vendors should be permitted to sell anything on the sand, in accordance with the aforementioned law. And while he acknowledged that vendors at many popular beaches are still defiant of this mandate, the government will continue to uphold the law.

At the meeting in Phuket Town on Monday, Phuket Police Commander, Pol Maj Gen Pachara Boonprasit, confirmed that local law enforcement will continue to pursue illegal vendors who defy the law.

"There are 115 cases [of illegal food vendor violations being processed] at Karon police station, 27 of which were sent to court and another 62 cases [investigated by] Kathu police station, with eight of them charged and currently being processed by the court."

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/cigarettes-out-but-snacks-allowed-on-phuket-beaches-if-waste-free-51106.php


-- Phuket News 2015-02-20

[hansgruber]

This is farcical. Changes by the day.

[steelepulse]

Local govt's would be very rich if they enforced the no rubbish bit with just a 200 baht fine, imagine if it was 1000 baht. Pristine beaches....................Sadly I'm only dreaming of this rubbish enforcement ever happening.

[iReason]

"Section 20 of the Public Health Act (2535BE), which stipulates that the environment of public spaces must be kept clean, prohibiting the disposal of waste..."

"...most of the food waste on Phuket beaches comes from vendors, who are forbidden by Section 34 of the Public Health Act to sell food on all public land without a permit."

"Despite this law, and the government’s mandate to enforce it, some business operators have continued to defy the rules."

Kick out the offenders and fine these law breakers.

Place gargage cans near the beaches.

Order Municipal staff to maintain the clean up.

Like the real world.

Problems solved.

[stevenl]

"Section 20 of the Public Health Act (2535BE), which stipulates that the environment of public spaces must be kept clean, prohibiting the disposal of waste..."

"...most of the food waste on Phuket beaches comes from vendors, who are forbidden by Section 34 of the Public Health Act to sell food on all public land without a permit."

"Despite this law, and the government’s mandate to enforce it, some business operators have continued to defy the rules."

Kick out the offenders and fine these law breakers.

Place gargage cans near the beaches.

Order Municipal staff to maintain the clean up.

Like the real world.

Problems solved.

So you expect the local police officer or municipal staff to fine and/or kick out his brother who is selling drinks at the beach? Never going to happen. And with the registered population being really small in the beach towns, they are all related.

[harrycallahan]

Two words: "No Littering". <deleted>.

[Reigntax]

May produce 700kg of solid waste per day but they fail to account for the volumes of verbal waste by authorities which probably does more damage.

Installing bins is one thing, having them regularly emptied is another otherwise you just end up with a beach full of bin ladens!

Edited February 20, 2015 by Reigntax

[Lupatria]

How about no sneezing and ban of sunglasses for better identification?

[Keesters]

Defining waste? It's this and that. Crazy. Simple rule should be "leave no trace".

The only thing that should be left behind after a day at the beach are your footprints in the sand.

[manarak]

Totally crazy ... the beached moved almost overnight from "permissive Thailand" into Nazi territory.

[rethaier]

So I can't take a Macca's burger wrapped in paper but I can take a bag of crisps. What's the difference? Can I take pork balls in a plastic bag? Confusion and stupidity are rampant.

[inzman]

Too many agencies are making too many rules. They change hourly. Very confusing, one says no another says yes. I don't know what to think. Can somebody just make up rules,post them and move on. Why would anybody bother going to such a totally screwed up beach area is beyond me. You would think the powers that be are schizophrenic.

[Suffinator]

And the BIG issue still remains ... Jet Skis. Of course they won't tackle this because someone is paying a lot of money under the table for the authorities to continue skirting the issue.

I spoke with a friend of mine yesterday who is still trying to sell his villa and get out. He's closed his two restaurants and a bar due to the lack of customers; the Chinese just don't use them and that's all that's really left.

The death of tourism should not be unexpected by the Thais; after all they are the ones who killed it due to their unrelenting greed and stupidity. They know what the problems are but greed and corruption prevents action. They deserve everything they get and I'm sure other tourist destinations around the region are delighted at how greedy and stupid the Thais are.

[delgarcon]

There are beach vendors all over the world and a nice cold drink on a hot day is always welcome. At least most impoverished Thais try to earn some sort of a living without resorting to begging! My message to the General and his cronies is "think about creating a welfare state instead of laying down the law to people who have little or no chance of ever dragging themselves out of the gutter!"

Sometimes I hate this <deleted> country!

[eddie61]

the vice governor said so, and he is after all in charge of vice, along with the police, who take care of vice.

[gamini]

same as all the beaches in Australia and New Zealand but usually no alchohol allowed there.

[NamKangMan]

"Tourism will be destroyed … tourists here who usually visit my shop every year have changed their destinations like Vietnam, Mexico and Indonesia" - it's already destroyed, and it's you, and your tuk-tuk and jet-ski friends, and the authorities that allowed you all to operate here, that have destroyed it, a long time ago.

You have all become a victim of your own greed.

Try explaining it to your children, and your grand children, what you did with their future.

Edited February 20, 2015 by NamKangMan

[ronthai]

Lets just give Phuket back to the turtles and the birds and give Pattaya back to the handful of fisherman.

Both places are great examples of being 100% dependent on tourism/expats, from the big hotels to the mum and pap shops/restaurants more inside the cities/area's.

If farangs/tourists are to leave, both will be ghost towns/area's and all Thais can go back to the rice fields back home.

I don't know about Phuket, but Pattaya has nothing else economically, like factories or anything else to have people work and keep Pattaya alive after we have all gone.

Every single baht spent in Pattaya (and my guess is also Phuket) by Thais comes one way or another from tourist and expats, even if the Thai never encounters a farang/tourist

[NamKangMan]

There are beach vendors all over the world and a nice cold drink on a hot day is always welcome. At least most impoverished Thais try to earn some sort of a living without resorting to begging! My message to the General and his cronies is "think about creating a welfare state instead of laying down the law to people who have little or no chance of ever dragging themselves out of the gutter!"

Sometimes I hate this <deleted> country!

"At least most impoverished Thais try to earn some sort of a living without resorting to begging!" - I see a lot of "impoverished Thai's" driving European sports cars on Phuket.

I think you are talking about Issan.

[NamKangMan]

Lets just give Phuket back to the turtles and the birds and give Pattaya back to the handful of fisherman.

Both places are great examples of being 100% dependent on tourism/expats, from the big hotels to the mum and pap shops/restaurants more inside the cities/area's.

If farangs/tourists are to leave, both will be ghost towns/area's and all Thais can go back to the rice fields back home.

I don't know about Phuket, but Pattaya has nothing else economically, like factories or anything else to have people work and keep Pattaya alive after we have all gone.

Every single baht spent in Pattaya (and my guess is also Phuket) by Thais comes one way or another from tourist and expats, even if the Thai never encounters a farang/tourist

"but Pattaya has nothing else economically, like factories or anything else to have people work" - Pattaya is the flesh "factory" on the planet.

It has been an assembly line for young Thai women from Issan to work on, for decades.

[soalbundy]

How about no sneezing and ban of sunglasses for better identification?

and no fat people, especially fat white women in bikini's, that should drop the beach population down by 50%

[soalbundy]

So I can't take a Macca's burger wrapped in paper but I can take a bag of crisps. What's the difference? Can I take pork balls in a plastic bag? Confusion and stupidity are rampant.

who cares, after a week it wont be enforced anyway.

[SiSePuede419]

Who goes to the beach for the snacks or furniture???

Stay home and sit on your furniture. Eat snacks on the street or 7-11, if you must.

Buddha popsicle on a stick, 555

[Fullstop]

...the Public Health Act (2535BE), which stipulates that the environment of public spaces must be kept clean, prohibiting the disposal of waste – defined as “food scraps, food containers, paper or plastic packaging, manure and human waste (which includes) faeces, urine or anything that is foul or filthy”.

Seems that law has been ignored Thailand wide for decades.

[carib102]

Want clean beaches? It's really quite simple...just get a few of these and clean the beaches.

[Phuketboy]

Gov Nisit said “Snacks such as crisps and pre-packed items are okay, however, when it comes to dishes such as Som Tam, rice-dishes and other common “beach foods”, those who choose to eat them should ensure that they keep the beaches garbage free.” He said the main target of the regulation is garbage deriving from disposable bags and polystyrene containers, as these are a large source of garbage.

Well here's a thought Gov dip shit Maybe you should put proper bins every 20m or so around Patong and along the beach so that people can dispose of their waste.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Phuketboy

[Shaunduhpostman]

Honestly, how difficult can a solution be. It is like watching elephants drowning in a teaspoon of water. Can the governor even find his way out of bed in the morning without confusing himself, or is it deliberate, they are just trying to make sure nobody has any idea what they can and can't do on Patong Beach. How lugubrious and frankly hilarious.

Welcome to Patong Beach! Please enjoy being totally confused while you enjoy the sunset and wonder, "Could it be that my food is actually waste scraps or not? When is it exactly when food becomes waste? Can I sit down or is my non-chair a chair? How about my ass? I sit on it, so is it a chair? Maybe! I am prohibited from disposing of waste at the beach? So, I have to just throw my trash on the ground? A crisp bag is not garbage but disposable bags are? What if I eat my som tom out of a platic to go bag, is that ok? If the som tam is put in the container before I eat it, isn't it pre-packed? When is something that is packed pre-packed? Aren't all items that are packed pre-packed?"

[freedom4life]

money money money....all about fking money...leave people alone for fk sakes!!!..and stop bitchin!!

[sydneyjed]

"The General" needs to sort this out quick smart...I can tell you now overseas tourism operators are 'twitching' here in Oz reading this!Who in their right mind is going to recommend a tourism destination that does not allow sun beds on their beaches drinks and now food?"How to hang yourself with a 2 inch piece of string"?..Answer...just ask the Thais'!!!

[joboss]

Lets just give Phuket back to the turtles and the birds and give Pattaya back to the handful of fisherman.

Both places are great examples of being 100% dependent on tourism/expats, from the big hotels to the mum and pap shops/restaurants more inside the cities/area's.

If farangs/tourists are to leave, both will be ghost towns/area's and all Thais can go back to the rice fields back home.

I don't know about Phuket, but Pattaya has nothing else economically, like factories or anything else to have people work and keep Pattaya alive after we have all gone.

Every single baht spent in Pattaya (and my guess is also Phuket) by Thais comes one way or another from tourist and expats, even if the Thai never encounters a farang/tourist

"but Pattaya has nothing else economically, like factories or anything else to have people work" - Pattaya is the flesh "factory" on the planet.

It has been an assembly line for young Thai women from Issan to work on, for decades.

In a Western country they would be demanding a handout from the government to sustain the industry providing jobs.