if you were a district government with a budget to manage and improve one of Phuket's key tourist attractions, would you consider erecting a huge concrete monstrosity at the edge of the footpath that blocks the view of the beach for the frontage properties and passers by?

It appears that this giant tombstone is intended to be a triumphal monument to the local governments' achievements in (mis)managing the beach.

Amazing Thailand!

Probably cost a few million for a feasibility study and another few to build.

OP. you haven't grasped the meaning of that superb monument.

It was erected to warn people that, this is how it will look behind bars if you use drugs.

Another brilliant explanation from Costas.

Boondoggle!

Probably cost a few million for a feasibility study and another few to build.

And a member of the Mayor's family "won" the contract to build this fine piece of art.

Probably cost a few million for a feasibility study and another few to build.

And a member of the Mayor's family "won" the contract to build this fine piece of art.

Exactly - every 'project' in Thaialnd has many % skimmed off the top.

Probably cost a few million for a feasibility study and another few to build.

And a member of the Mayor's family "won" the contract to build this fine piece of art.

Exactly - every 'project' in Thaialnd has many % skimmed off the top.

With the removal of beach chairs, beach clubs etc etc, and the black money they produced for local authorities, maybe we can expect a spate of new and useless monuments, to replace their lost revenue, once again, at the expense of critical infastructure.

Brilliant artist who has been at work there. Reminds me when I was still living in Amsterdam/Netherlands, for a long time there was construction going on in a downtown street I often drove through. Construction finally finished, there remained a pile of metal slabs and poles laying on the pavement. I assumed the building crew had forgotten to clear out properly, till I learned this was a work of art.

On another occasion, they constructed a piece of artwork in the middle of a nightlife area, it consisted of 4 metal slabs leaning towards each other, the pavement in the middle being deepened a bit. They finally removed it when it started reeking too much of urine.

This Karon artwork also looks inviting for males to answer a call of nature.

Probably cost a few million for a feasibility study and another few to build.

And a member of the Mayor's family "won" the contract to build this fine piece of art.

Exactly - every 'project' in Thaialnd has many % skimmed off the top.

With the removal of beach chairs, beach clubs etc etc, and the black money they produced for local authorities, maybe we can expect a spate of new and useless monuments, to replace their lost revenue, once again, at the expense of critical infastructure.

Infrastructure, lifeguards, public amenities.....................They don't pay the bills. Boondoggles and awarding contracts will suffice in the absence of the real money makers, the illegal allocating of beach chair concessions on the Kings beaches.

Brilliant artist who has been at work there. Reminds me when I was still living in Amsterdam/Netherlands, for a long time there was construction going on in a downtown street I often drove through. Construction finally finished, there remained a pile of metal slabs and poles laying on the pavement. I assumed the building crew had forgotten to clear out properly, till I learned this was a work of art.

On another occasion, they constructed a piece of artwork in the middle of a nightlife area, it consisted of 4 metal slabs leaning towards each other, the pavement in the middle being deepened a bit. They finally removed it when it started reeking too much of urine.

This Karon artwork also looks inviting for males to answer a call of nature.

"This Karon artwork also looks inviting for males to answer a call of nature." - on it, or behind it?

Probably cost a few million for a feasibility study and another few to build.

And a member of the Mayor's family "won" the contract to build this fine piece of art.

Exactly - every 'project' in Thaialnd has many % skimmed off the top.

I'd be interested to see how that cost compares to the cost of endless studies, planning, building permits, opposition procedures, court order, appeal and final court orders in the west :-)

It's huge and I didn't realize it at first. There's a chair on the sidewalk just to the left of it for scale.

2015 A Thai Odessy

With the removal of beach chairs, beach clubs etc etc, and the black money they produced for local authorities, maybe we can expect a spate of new and useless monuments, to replace their lost revenue, once again, at the expense of critical infastructure.

What preposterous nonsense!

There is LOADS of money to be skimmed from critical infrastructure! The only problem is that the locals haven't yet figured out how to get their grubbly fingers into that particular pie so it remains the preserve of the higher-ups for now.

Just give them time though: today it's a few questionable and unsightly objets d'art but tomorrow it's a honking great underpass at Karon Circle with a light railway connection direct to the upcoming Spaceport on Koh Phi Phi all visible from the cable cars spanning the sea to Phang Nga Bay!

'Tis a pity there won't be anything left in the budget for a few garbage bins to replace all the ones that are regularly stolen but one mustn't let little things like that hinder progress™...

They built something very similar, in that it completely obliterated the view of the sea at Nai Harn, a huge black marble disc set atop the rise on the approach to the beach (where all the taxis park). It's gone now, and when they've realised their folly, so will this.

Other than that, I think this one's quite nice. Although completely inappropriate for a beach. Maybe at the entrance to the island at Sarasin Bridge?

A true monster. Neither a waterfall or Light show. A huge concrete block. Yuck!

It will become a wall for the taxi prices. Note the plastic chairs next to it, ready for the hard-working sloths.

Probably cost a few million for a feasibility study and another few to build.

And a member of the Mayor's family "won" the contract to build this fine piece of art.

Exactly - every 'project' in Thaialnd has many % skimmed off the top.

With the removal of beach chairs, beach clubs etc etc, and the black money they produced for local authorities, maybe we can expect a spate of new and useless monuments, to replace their lost revenue, once again, at the expense of critical infastructure.

Never fear, our very own Anchalee Vanich Tephabutra is still around. She of the Welcome to Patong sign and the Welcome Gate.

I think you have to wait until they attach the massive LED flashing sign to it to fully appreciate its beauty

a 1997 memorial

for all the deserted buildings after the financial meltdown

Same height as the tsunami wave that swept through here...maybe

What is that thing? Seriously, what is it?

I can't be art.

OP. you haven't grasped the meaning of that superb monument.

It was erected to warn people that, this is how it will look behind bars if you use drugs.

Another brilliant explanation from Costas.

BRILLIANT???? My ass )

corruption all over!

This monumnet truly announces Phuket's arrival on the world stage as "A World Class Tourist Destination."

I think this is the start of a wall that will span the length of the beach with toll gates,to allow the tourists to have a lovely quiet laze in the shade,and not get sun-burned.That's what I have been told anyway and I have no reason to doubt it. My congratulations to all concerned in this magnificent structural artifact and for seeing a solution to a long term problem.Hope there is provision for the hordes of forthcoming tourists with heaps of the good old pie carts on the inside. Incidently,I wonder who will be the first one to start the grafiti---- HaHa.Boy am I glad I live a few hundred miles away .

A true monster. Neither a waterfall or Light show. A huge concrete block. Yuck!

​You are correct sir. This wall was corrected with Russia and Swedes in mind. There will be a fountain with LED bulbs. They will turn on during Russian and Swedish Holidays!

I think this is the start of a wall that will span the length of the beach with toll gates,to allow the tourists to have a lovely quiet laze in the shade,and not get sun-burned.That's what I have been told anyway and I have no reason to doubt it. My congratulations to all concerned in this magnificent structural artifact and for seeing a solution to a long term problem.Hope there is provision for the hordes of forthcoming tourists with heaps of the good old pie carts on the inside. Incidently,I wonder who will be the first one to start the grafiti---- HaHa.Boy am I glad I live a few hundred miles away .

There will be Donkey rides for free for all that enter the Russian area (FREE)----cotton candy and corn fritters for 50 baht.

Also entrance fee's will be half price for the first 10 people!

​A before and after photo please. You must say, it looks a lot better than the houses behind it!

TV members... a question; What is that thing?