Phuket beach raids net 155 'illegal' items

[webfact]

Phuket beach raids net 155 'illegal' items
Eakkapop Thongtub


Wrong place: Officials carry away umbrellas and mattresses from Surin Beach.

PHUKET: A total of 155 beach umbrellas, sunbeds, and other pieces of beach furniture were seized from Laypang Beach and Surin Beach yesterday (April 7) on the grounds that they were “encroaching” on public areas.

Led by Thalang District Chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol and Cherng Talay Orbortor Chief Ma’an Samran, 30 officials started the raids at 10:30 at Laypang Beach.Officials

There, they seized four plastic and three wooden sunbeds, 71 cushions and 26 plastic chairs.

Officials asked around for the owner and learned that all items belong to Banyan Tree Resort.

At 1:30 pm, the troop hit Surin beach and spotted two areas where rows of umbrellas had been set out on the beach, in the “no umbrellas” zone. They confiscated all of them. No one came forward to claim the umbrellas.

All the confiscated items were taken to the Orbortor Cherng Talay office. Orbortor officials will file identify the owners file complaints of encroachment against them.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-beach-raids-net-155-illegal-items-51782.php


-- Phuket News 2015-04-08

[Costas2008]

And all the tourists proclaimed.

We are all soooooooo happy.......we definitely coming back to Thailand.

One more cushion for you officer......................

[Mango Bob]

What a shame this is what the Army gets paid to do. Taking umbrellas off the beaches from tourist who want to avoid skin cancer from the hot sun. How about sending them out to pick up cigarette butts on the beach.

[Confuscious]

Good to see that the Royal Thai Army has seized 'illegal' four plastic and three wooden sunbeds, 71 cushions and 26 plastic chairs on a public beach.

Thailand can not allow someone to lay on the beach on a plastic chair.

Tourists shall enjoy the full sunshine of Thailand if they want to go on the beach.

Keep the good work up RTA.

Tourist figures are plummeting already.

[Thaddeus]

''you, you. your feet on public area, give to me''

[smedly]

Although there is seemingly a battle going on between authorities/governor and these beach vendors and their activity they really need to find a way to provide tourists with beach facilities, perhaps the answer is to have all services on the beaches run by local authorities, the money they collect could be used to fund litter collection and proper toilet facilities

This is not the way to be doing things, the tourists affected probably have no clue what is going on and have likely already paid for the removed items and are left scratching their heads wondering what they did wrong

[MYKTHEMIN]

Good bye tourists, say hello to Cambodia, vietnam, Malaysia etc etc, how stupid are these enforcers.

[inaktive]

a bit later they did go after Tourists of the Banyan Tree in Laguna for the same offense.

None of the Army spoke English and a Reporter had to translate

I somehow think they will not get more Quality Tourists that the people there paying 300+ Euros a night ;-)

i do only have a German language version of that event

http://thailandupdate.de/phuket-76-matten-vier-stuehle-und-sieben-liegen-beschlagnahmt-touristen-empoert/

The last sentence does say it all "The Tourists did say they will look for another destination the next time they go for a vacation" !

[kingalfred]

Great work! No pestering / hawking. Public area=beach . Not owned by vendors!

[ourmanflint]

oh dear! About time the general explained his orders to his men so that they understand them properly. Next they will be moving off anyone found encroaching on the beach by sitting down or walking along it.

[nzexpat]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Although there is seemingly a battle going on between authorities/governor and these beach vendors and their activity they really need to find a way to provide tourists with beach facilities, perhaps the answer is to have all services on the beaches run by local authorities, the money they collect could be used to fund litter collection and proper toilet facilities

This is not the way to be doing things, the tourists affected probably have no clue what is going on and have likely already paid for the removed items and are left scratching their heads wondering what they did wrong

Australia has some wonderful beaches !

Why are those beaches, which are used by many thousands of people, not cluttered with "vendors", umbrellas and plastic chairs ?

[Mot Dang]

All the confiscated items were taken, auctioned and the proceeds will go towards the 2015 Policeman's Ball.

[Pinot]

Anyone who believes that this beach cleanup is going to turn away tourists, doesn't know what they're talking about. The beaches have never looked better. The encroachment and corruption was completely out of control before the cleanup. I applaud this action. This is the best thing the NCPO has done.

To bad they didn't hit Kamala, plenty of crap here.

The problem is the vendors are going to push the rules on a daily basis and put chairs out and stake a territory. If no one stops them, there is more stuff the next day. I applaud this follow-up work by some officials. Left to the OrBorTors this crap would be all over the beach...again, in a week.

There are comfortable mats and umbrellas available on all beaches. The vast majority of tourist don't use them. I say to any tourist that is going elsewhere because they don't have a sunchair...bye bye.

[kingalfred]

oh dear! About time the general explained his orders to his men so that they understand them properly. Next they will be moving off anyone found encroaching on the beach by sitting down or walking along it.

The phuket governor knows the law and is enforcing it. Nothing to do with General!

[kingalfred]

Anyone who believes that this beach cleanup is going to turn away tourists, doesn't know what they're talking about. The beaches have never looked better. The encroachment and corruption was completely out of control before the cleanup. I applaud this action. This is the best thing the NCPO has done.

To bad they didn't hit Kamala, plenty of crap here.

The problem is the vendors are going to push the rules on a daily basis and put chairs out and stake a territory. If no one stops them, there is more stuff the next day. I applaud this follow-up work by some officials. Left to the OrBorTors this crap would be all over the beach...again, in a week.

There are comfortable mats and umbrellas available on all beaches. The vast majority of tourist don't use them. I say to any tourist that is going elsewhere because they don't have a sunchair...bye bye.

The thai approach is try to "set up shop" slowly on a gradual,creeping basis and hope nothing is done. Its the same in some areas on sidewalks in Bangkok.Shift them within hours of their pitching and confiscate all their junk.hold it for a month.Make it clear if it happens again they wont get any of it returned! Edited April 8, 2015 by kingalfred

[wabothai]

Thailands leadership need to go see a doctor.

[stevenl]

oh dear! About time the general explained his orders to his men so that they understand them properly. Next they will be moving off anyone found encroaching on the beach by sitting down or walking along it.

The phuket governor knows the law and is enforcing it. Nothing to do with General!

Encroachment of the beach is not allowed. Unfortunately Phuket politicians and police have given their own interpretation of this, which is resulting in chaos.

[wabothai]

Possibly the guests asked for the umbrellas and some beds.

The owner would have to say sorry cannot. he is not able to communicate the

problem resulting in an angry guest who wonders why he/she cannot sit on the

beach with an umbrella.

Well done chiefs, go for your medal.

Madame TAT explanation please or are you too busy guessing how much money you

will be making during songkran? You need to go madame and take care of your

general husband.

Incredible arrogance, stupidity, shortsightenous, intimidation, etc.

[wabothai]

This so much pisses me off.

[manarak]

This is so stupid.

It seems they can only enforce the most basic regulations.

[clockman]

Remember no such thing as logic in Thailand!

[JetsetBkk]

Good bye tourists, say hello to Cambodia, vietnam, Malaysia etc etc, how stupid are these enforcers.

If by "enforcers" you are referring to the army guys, I would say that they are only doing what they have been told to do and each individual man is probably embarrassed to ask the tourists to get off the mats and relinquish the umbrellas.

The real stupidity lies much further up the the local administration organisation.

[smedly]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Although there is seemingly a battle going on between authorities/governor and these beach vendors and their activity they really need to find a way to provide tourists with beach facilities, perhaps the answer is to have all services on the beaches run by local authorities, the money they collect could be used to fund litter collection and proper toilet facilities

This is not the way to be doing things, the tourists affected probably have no clue what is going on and have likely already paid for the removed items and are left scratching their heads wondering what they did wrong

Australia has some wonderful beaches !

Why are those beaches, which are used by many thousands of people, not cluttered with "vendors", umbrellas and plastic chairs ?

the point is if you bring your own brolly chair or lounger it won't be taken off you and confiscated, same goes for anywhere else in the world apart from Phuket it seems

[smedly]

Anyone who believes that this beach cleanup is going to turn away tourists, doesn't know what they're talking about. The beaches have never looked better. The encroachment and corruption was completely out of control before the cleanup. I applaud this action. This is the best thing the NCPO has done.

To bad they didn't hit Kamala, plenty of crap here.

The problem is the vendors are going to push the rules on a daily basis and put chairs out and stake a territory. If no one stops them, there is more stuff the next day. I applaud this follow-up work by some officials. Left to the OrBorTors this crap would be all over the beach...again, in a week.

There are comfortable mats and umbrellas available on all beaches. The vast majority of tourist don't use them. I say to any tourist that is going elsewhere because they don't have a sunchair...bye bye.

I agree 100% with what you said above, I wish they would do the same in Pattaya - compromise only on Wednesday

[7Heaven]

Why dont people read the article before they comment? It was NOT from tourist it was from a beach resort.

"all items belong to Banyan Tree Resort"

[Daniel Ingalls]

............Gee, the unauthorized items should make the headlines world wide by tonight!.............Meanwhile, five million auto are on the road with no insurance, 30 million motor bikes are driven with no helmets, thousands of massage parlors have underaged masseurs, and we are mostly concerned about umbrellas on the beach. Give me a break!...........I could think of a hundred other infractions of the law more important. All we are talking about is, someone didn't get paid to turn their head and over look what wasn't done. Be careful, some tourist might just say, "I'm going to take my beach ball and go some place else."

[stevenl]

Why dont people read the article before they comment? It was NOT from tourist it was from a beach resort.

"all items belong to Banyan Tree Resort"

Why don't people read the article? First raid was banyan tree, second part was general, not connected to a certain resort.

[Pinot]

It was stuff from vendors outside of the allotted areas for mats and umbrellas that was confiscated. Vendors can't put stuff out and claim a place and no chairs allowed.

On Kamala Beach there are two areas that are allotted for mats and umbrellas. In the last month, first one vendor put out a few folding sun chairs and umbrellas. He got away with it for a few days so, then there were two vendors doing it side by side. It just looks like abandoned junk on the beach. When I walk by it daily, I know those vendors days are numbered. Eventually the officials will catch up with them. Another thing they do is wait till the sun goes down and put out chairs and tables on the beach. They all know it's against the rules.

Another thing the vendors were doing is setting restaurants on the beach. One day there is chairs and tables by one of the vendors. Next day 3 of the vendors have tables and chairs. The officials come in stop it and tables and chairs are gone. Couple of weeks go by and one of the places has chairs and tables back and it starts again, it's a cycle. They're isn't suppose to be any cooking on the beach, just drinks. There are some vendors by the police station where cooking is done. All together it's a vast improvement, it's just that it needs constant monitoring because there is no repercussions for the actions of a few vendors.

I'm confident they'll eventually get it right. It can't be left to local officials, however. They have their fingers in the pie.

[maidee]

was it to help them for the comming storm ?

[bangon04]

"There, they seized four plastic and three wooden sunbeds, 71 cushions and 26 plastic chairs."

The article does not make it clear if any cushions resisted arrest.......