For years, I've been hearing that there are no private beaches in Thailand and ALL beaches are open to anyone with free access. I ran across a beach today that they claim is "private" and charge people to access. Is this new? Or has private beaches always been around?

The beach to a distance 'x' above the hight tide mark is public property - Sorry I don't recall the exact diastase 'x' but certainly there is no justification for claiming a beach to be private or charge an entrance fee.

Can you please advise where you came across this fee charging beach?

"Paradise Beach" at the very (southern) end of the Patong beachfront road on Phuket. They are charging 20 baht just to walk on the sand. It's not that much but I always thought that wasn't allowed and it was suppose to be all public land like you said.

Maybe the cost covers cleaning the beach.good value then

It's not allowed but as they say 'this is thailand'

The beach is public, but access road can be owned privately

"Paradise Beach" at the very (southern) end of the Patong beachfront road on Phuket. They are charging 20 baht just to walk on the sand. It's not that much but I always thought that wasn't allowed and it was suppose to be all public land like you said.

Tell them 10 baht and youll hop on one leg............thatll confuse em

"Paradise Beach" at the very (southern) end of the Patong beachfront road on Phuket. They are charging 20 baht just to walk on the sand. It's not that much but I always thought that wasn't allowed and it was suppose to be all public land like you said.

The 20 baht charge is not "to walk on the sand" - as that would be illegal.

It's to breath the air there.

Refuse to pay, and perhaps you do not breath anymore, permanently.

Edited July 26, 201511 yr by NamKangMan

Maybe just buy some food or drink at the restaurant. I have been there for (late) breakfast several times and they never charged me for parking or "walking on the sand".

20 baht,

Wow. That'll break the bank, won't it.

Some farangs.

@Happy Grumpy

You really dont get it what it is about ?

Just another form of corruption,

it starts small than grows.

Report it.

At Kata beach the club med also had a private beach.

I have never known this before too. Now I will prepare they have private beach.

At Kata beach the club med also had a private beach.

No they did not. All Kata beach is public.

@Happy Grumpy

You really dont get it what it is about ?

I agree; Mr Happy Grumpy has found himself a nickname and seems determined to adhere to this supposed persona.

In theory all beach land is public, however if crossing private land to reach a public beach you can be charged ala Nui Beach where the thugs had the balls to charge you for crossing someone else's land that they claimed was theirs.

At Kata beach the club med also had a private beach.

No they did not. All Kata beach is public.

What he probably means is that when there were beach loungers Club Med had in front of their resort rented the beach loungers for their guests.

At Kata beach the club med also had a private beach.

No they did not. All Kata beach is public.

What he probably means is that when there were beach loungers Club Med had in front of their resort rented the beach loungers for their guests.

The Club Med Phuket is ideally situated on its own private sandy beach in Kata Bay surrounded by palm trees on the west coast of Phuket

http://www.lowcostholidays.com.au/hotels/thailand/phuket/kata-beach/club-med-phuket

At Kata beach the club med also had a private beach.

No they did not. All Kata beach is public.

What he probably means is that when there were beach loungers Club Med had in front of their resort rented the beach loungers for their guests.

The Club Med Phuket is ideally situated on its own private sandy beach in Kata Bay surrounded by palm trees on the west coast of Phuket[/size]

http://www.lowcostholidays.com.au/hotels/thailand/phuket/kata-beach/club-med-phuket

Untrue advertising hype. They used to have their own chairs and umbrellas for the exclusive use of their guests, but the actually sand was available to anyone.

I like to walk along thai beaches at the end of the day but i always have been thinking Kata beach was private from Club Med. So I've never been there, Karon beach and then up that hill is as far as i've been.

See what happens if websites give wrong info.

the meridian tried it way back

BUT they can NOT stop anyone from going thru their property to access the beach

You can only walk thur thou as they can stop u from parking ur bike/car on their property.

same went for the phuket yacht club in Na harn

they had to make it so u could drive UNDER their property to get to the other beaches/properties on the other side

Beach is Kings land

No they did not. All Kata beach is public.

What he probably means is that when there were beach loungers Club Med had in front of their resort rented the beach loungers for their guests.

The Club Med Phuket is ideally situated on its own private sandy beach in Kata Bay surrounded by palm trees on the west coast of Phuket[/size]

http://www.lowcostholidays.com.au/hotels/thailand/phuket/kata-beach/club-med-phuket

Untrue advertising hype. They used to have their own chairs and umbrellas for the exclusive use of their guests, but the actually sand was available to anyone.

And they did not even own the chairs but were renting them. Same as Le Meridien e.g. Now there is big, guaranteed business lost by the beach chair operators.

And they did not even own the chairs but were renting them. Same as Le Meridien e.g. Now there is big, guaranteed business lost by the beach chair operators.

I find that surprising Steven. Club Med seemed to manage the chairs and umbrellas. They had their own staff sweeping the beach and taking care of the chairs. Club med tractor took excess chairs away in the low season. I always assumed Club Med 'paid' the Karon mayor direct rather than use middle men. Might have been part of their 30 year lease deal for the mai club land.

And they did not even own the chairs but were renting them. Same as Le Meridien e.g. Now there is big, guaranteed business lost by the beach chair operators.

I find that surprising Steven. Club Med seemed to manage the chairs and umbrellas. They had their own staff sweeping the beach and taking care of the chairs. Club med tractor took excess chairs away in the low season. I always assumed Club Med 'paid' the Karon mayor direct rather than use middle men. Might have been part of their 30 year lease deal for the mai club land.

I know 100% meridien was renting, say 99% club med.

Meridien: 200 chairs at special price of 100 baht would mean loss of 20.000 baht per day. Incredible amounts I find we,'re talking about here.

Edited July 30, 201511 yr by stevenl