Thai Army targets car, bike rentals hijacking Phuket beach parking spaces

[snoop1130]

Thai Army targets car, bike rentals hijacking Phuket beach parking spaces

The Phuket News

 

 

PHUKET:-- The deputy commander of the Royal Thai Army’s main base in Southern Thailand has fired a warning shot at car and motorbike rental operators hijacking public parking areas at Phuket beaches.

 

Maj Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, Deputy Commander of the Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, which is responsible for all of Southern Thailand, inspected Patong Beach yesterday afternoon (Feb 9) with Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup.

 

“Rental vehicle operators and taxi drivers must park somewhere else. Lots of tourists visit Patong Beach, especially during the (tourism) high season. We need to take of of their needs,” Gen Pornsak said.

 

“The car park spaces are for the public, not for private business,” he added.

 

Gen Pornsak suggested setting up parking specifically for taxis and car and motorbike rentals and charging them fees for using them.

 

“Meanwhile, we have yellow lines and signs marking which areas are for public parking. If anyone breaks the rules, they must be caught – and the Phuket Provincial Office must be held responsible for taking action against those who break the rules,” he said.

 

Explaining the brown sea water immediately off Patong Beach 50 metres to the south of Bangla Rd, while tourists walked along the sand but not in the water, Ms Chalermluck said, “That is from a plankton bloom as there is too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the sea water.

 

Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/thai-army-targets-car-bike-rentals-hijacking-phuket-beach-parking-spaces-60989.php#jk2rO29xMo0BK62L.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-2-10

[NamKangMan]

“Rental vehicle operators and taxi drivers must park somewhere else." - no mention of the tuk-tuks.  I guess, more parking spaces for them soon. 

[Brer Fox]

The military doing the work of the RTP yet again. One day as the military regime progresses toward authoritarianism the RTP will arrive at work one morning in places like Phuket only to be told the military has taken over their jobs. Shock, horror when the envelope ownership contracts change hands. Domestic harmony will erupt!

I get the feeling the PM is just biding his time and giving the RTP plenty of rope.

[Psimbo]

As an addenda to this one thing that grips my sh1t is attempting to park on the  PUBLIC HIGHWAY only to see  chairs or other stuff blocking space outside a business and then Mrs Somchai going off on one when one tries to park legally. Happens all over. 

 

They may rent or own the shop but they do not own the road. One reason I hardly ever go into Patong now as I don't want the vehicle damaged.

 

At least Jungceylon has plenty of space now the Chicken Littles are scared to park there.

[Deli]

I don't believe before I see. It's a very old and never resolved story, tea money is just too good 

[Srikcir]

A solution I've seen in other beachfront countries are parking meters that make parking by the quarter hour very expensive and limited to 2-4 hours with no renewal. But that requires continuous patrol and enforcement. What seems more effective is to confine all parking needs in a parking garage (public ground lots require expensive real estate) limited to 12 hour terms where ingress and exits are controlled to assure payment - with all open beachfront parking banned. Easy to monitor and enforce if authorities have the commitment to do so.

[Jimi007]

I remember about 12 years ago were were parking spaces available to the public and they had parking patrol officers in nice brown uniforms collecting money depending on how long you said you were going to be there. About a year or two later, most all the parking was taken over by motorbike renters. I wish the Army luck in clearing those squatters out. 

[keeniau96]

It is a major PIA in Phuket and probably many other places. Add to that the house and shop owners claiming street space as their own, per the above poster. Then the individuals demanding parking fees but who are not legal gov't meter maids. 

[zaZa9]

I dont know if he's still there , but there used to be a uniformed old guy ( in kahkis but with a police style hat ) that would GUARD parking spots for the rental companies on Beach rd Patong from early parkers.

I used to have no end of fun stopping in one of 'his' 20 or so parking spots  , and  ignoring him as he yelled out from the shade of the trees.

Then , as he got no result and angrily rose from his chair to come over and got half way to me  , I'd start my scoot , as if to leave .

He'd huff and go sit back down... and I'd turn it off again and wait.

He'd sit down and look back , and then really nut off !

We'd then repeat the charade...

Sometimes if I was bored I'd go round the block and park at the other end of 'his' turf , and man would he nut off ... particularly when innocents copied me and  started parking nearby as well. Geez it was funny.

 

The Army are just as slack as the BiB , they swore that parking around Patong would be "returned to the people" and predictably never followed up.

So pretty much all the TT boys are back lazing in their hammocks in the same old spots , and in places like Karon roundabout , hurling abuse at anyone trying to park in public ( sorry "THEIR" ) spots.

The beaches are covered again with private businesses taking up all the shady areas and their rubbish piles up  , taxis line every street and charge the same if not more  , the BiB ignores anything if they are paid  , and  , one year later , its "Business as usual".

Except that the plastic beach chairs are now made of sand , nothing has changed.

Nothing will ever change because the words 'enforcement and follow-up ' are  alien to Thai authorities ...

This is Thailand , after all.

[Destiny1990]

Very good plan but the number one vehicles to be removed should be these Tuk Tuk from all the streets.They need to pay and park at a designated land plot.why they arr allowed to hijack parking spots day and night and cause disturbances to say the least?