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[Jonathan Fairfield]

Phuket’s new ‘model beach’ rules start in Patong



PHUKET: Patong became the epicentre of the new beach rules that will govern the sands at the island’s key tourist beaches today (Nov 6) as Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Armornwat marked out the new beach vendor sections and free zones for tourists.

The mapping out of the designated beach zones is to be carried out under the banner of “Phuket Beach Model: One Beach, One Rule, One Map and One Organisation”, he said.

“The ‘10 per cent rule’ is still the guiding principle, but not every beach will be the same. Small modifications will be introduced where deeemed appropriate so that the best combination is created for each beach,” V/Gov Chokdee said.

Accompanied by Navy personnel, V/Gov Chokdee took the time to explain to local beach vendors where the new designated areas will be – and the potential consequences of being caught providing services outside of those areas

The previous plan dedicated 200m zones on Patong Beach expressly for vendors, including food and drink vendors, umbrella rental operators and massage services, V/Gov Chokdee explained.

“This has now been reduced to 70m each,” he said. “The remaining 130m of each 200m zone are ‘free zones’ where beach operators are banned on the sands, but tourists may swim anywhere in the water within each of these 200m zones”

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-new-model-beach-rules-start-in-patong-54860.php#sthash.rZhUPgS6.dpuf

-- Phuket News 2015-11-07

[steelepulse]

Those jet ski guys have to be paying some serous tea money to get almost half of the allocation of the beach, not too mention they will take over whatever they pretty much feel like, tourists be damned.

>>The five “beach vendor plus tourist” 200m zones plus the four “jet-ski and parasail operator” 200m zones cover the busiest 1.8km of Patong Beach. The Phuket News has yet to learn what the 1.7km of beach to the north and to the south of the main 1.8km stretch of sand will be dedicated to.

[HerbalEd]

You gotta know that the 10% area will grow larger and larger into the future.

[inzman]

This is such drivel! Ban all commercial activity and let the tourists enjoy the natural beach. But the money gotta be made, nothing will ever change in this country. Money number one!

[maderaroja]

OBOROMOO will never make it as an acronym. They need a marketing specialist.

[callaway]

Ok so it is "Model Beaches" now. Last week it was "Virgin Beaches". Guess they had to change. They looked high and low in Phuket and couldnt find even one virgin to put on the beach for photo op.

[madmitch]

The Gazette article appears to supersede this one and of course has contradictory information.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/-10-zone-takes-hold-Patong-Beach/62308#ad-image-0

The article states that no loungers at all will be allowed (what about those used by the jets operators) and that umbrellas will be confined to the 10% zone and that any English-language media reports stating otherwise are incorrect, according to the vice-governor.

One step forward, two steps back.

This lot, and there predecessors, really couldn't organise a p!ss-up in a brewery, and if by some fluke they did manage to arrange such an event, some ridiculous organisation would deem it illegal.

Meantime more and more Western tourists are staying away.

[LivinginKata]

The previous plan dedicated 200m zones on Patong Beach expressly for vendors, including food and drink vendors, umbrella rental operators and massage services, V/Gov Chokdee explained.

“This has now been reduced to 70m each,” he said. “The remaining 130m of each 200m zone are ‘free zones’ where beach operators are banned on the sands, but tourists may swim anywhere in the water within each of these 200m zones”

Clear as mud - no mention of jet ski/parachute vendors, no mention of what tourists can do other than swim anywhere in the water. And look out for those jet skis and speed boats. I await the first swimming fatality from being run over.

[NamKangMan]

Typical of many Thai Laws.

They are designed so nobody really knows what is what, and open to various interpretation. As long as you pay tea money, there's no problems, and when you don't, they pull out a part of the law that you have broken and you are fined / charged.

Nothing new for criminal, traffic and civil laws, but for a beach - how laughable.

These guys are embarrassing themselves, and Thailand.

[cockatoowho]

I just wish I could be granted a day with their pea brain and single digit IQ to see what the world looks like through their eyes. Imbiciles!

[DrDave]

The previous plan dedicated 200m zones on Patong Beach expressly for vendors, including food and drink vendors, umbrella rental operators and massage services, V/Gov Chokdee explained.

“This has now been reduced to 70m each,” he said. “The remaining 130m of each 200m zone are ‘free zones’ where beach operators are banned on the sands, but tourists may swim anywhere in the water within each of these 200m zones”

Clear as mud - no mention of jet ski/parachute vendors, no mention of what tourists can do other than swim anywhere in the water. And look out for those jet skis and speed boats. I await the first swimming fatality from being run over.

One of these days I'm going to pace off the beach and map out the areas reserved for vendors, areas "reserved" for jet skis and parasails, and actual "free" areas. At least they seem to have gotten rid of the signs that basically said (in pictures) no-swimming, no sunbathing and no playing on the beach for 200m.

[exbikey]

Just listening to one of the local English language radio stations, some big shot police officer has issued a statement to CLARIFY THINGS (his words) that "tourists ARE allowed to take their own chairs and umbrellas to any parts of the beaches in Phuket"

It'll be interesting to follow this gem.