Demolition orders issued to 78 more Phuket beach encroachers

[johnlandy]

Interesting how the coup is bringing out a lot of people who are now discovering balls that they never knew they possessed.

[stevenl]

Im very happy to see the things the Junta are doing, well over due. After all if the place is dirty, over built and not beautiful why will the tourists come ??

Now if they could just fix the power lines which make the areas look terrible and do something to stop the continuing problem of non finished buildings all over the island. They are horrible, may be they need to devise a law that if foreigners ( and it is foreigners doing it ) come here and leave a building unfinished the Building will be legally taken ( quickly before the rot sets in ) and sold, the monies raised going towards roads, improving the power system, local schools, clean up projects any thing that helps the area, use there money to put Thailand as it should be ...... Just a thought

Why do you think it is foreigners? And why should laws for Thais and foreigners be different?

[fabphil]

Yeh and look at Wongamat, Pattaya north needs to be sorted, all the stuff gone on there over the few years since the ruskies moved in..

Edited June 24, 2014 by fabphil

[sandrabbit]

There is an encroachment here in Rayong, a hotel has been built ( a long time ago granted) in a national park looking out to sea with a fantastic view of Koh Samet. It is on the West side of Ban Phe but I don't think anything will be done about it as it has connections to a famous family in Bangkok, apparently. It's a lovely place and hardly used and doesn't seem to need to advertise even though it is nearly always empty.

[maximillian]

To clean up Thailand is an endless task.

[simosiam]

How is he going to feed his family? He has been occupying a beach front location for 18 years illegally- I am pretty sure he has stashed some money somewhere. It always comes as an amazement how these guys feel so hard done by - he should be going to jail for public land encroachment.. Count himself lucky and move on

The state should charge him rent retroactive for 18 years.

If the state charge him the retroactive rental, it give him also the right to stay there longer...

[DanielS]

Why 30 days notice? Previously, on Surin beach, they were given seven days.

As for the business owner whining about how to feed his family, get a job! Unemployment for the whole of Thailand is only 0.6%.

I think less since all the Cambodians fled. I can't even get a gardener up here.

If You have a land, You are the gardener.

If You can't take care of your land, sell it.

[MMarlow]

Good move that will pay dividends in the future, there should be a program to assist the displaced owners to setup inland.

Why should the displaced illegal business owners be given any assistance?

[MMarlow]

"Among places that must be partially or completely demolished are Lotus Restaurant and Babylon Beach Club, along with many wooden-pile restaurants at the water’s edge."

I would be interested which places are to be only "partially" demolished, and why.

Because they're only partially on public land.

[MMarlow]

In Goa (india) they were smart about this, small bar/restaurants on the beach constructed with bamboo and bamboo mats, no umbrella's but rather canape's made from bamboo.

Cold drinks good food, no crowd, very nice. No concrete building on the beach and if the owners have to move out, low season or crackdown there is hardly any loss.

This was about 15 years ago and maybe it changed, but that's not the point.

The point is that concrete should be avoided, wood, bamboo and other natural materials give the real laid back, relaxing feeling at the beach.

"canape's made from bamboo." Mmm, delicious.

[gchurch259]

Please take back the sidewalks in Bangkok, get ride of the vendors, beggars and put them into markets at now vacant lots.

Next some of the streets need to be no parking, and if they do park "Hook them and charge a hefty towing fee".

The only time there is not too many taxis is on a rainy day. They clutter up the streets too !

[KarenBravo]

Why 30 days notice? Previously, on Surin beach, they were given seven days.

As for the business owner whining about how to feed his family, get a job! Unemployment for the whole of Thailand is only 0.6%.

I think less since all the Cambodians fled. I can't even get a gardener up here.

If You have a land, You are the gardener.

If You can't take care of your land, sell it.

What kind of strange logic is that?

Only the owner can work on the land? That will finish off a lot of landscaping and gardening businesses.

Try thinking before you post.

[stuarty]

"Among places that must be partially or completely demolished are Lotus Restaurant and Babylon Beach Club, along with many wooden-pile restaurants at the water’s edge."

I would be interested which places are to be only "partially" demolished, and why.

Because they're only partially on public land.

And the rest of the remaining parts of structures at Layan/bangtao/Laypang beaches are on private land? I very much doubt it. I reckon they are still on public land, just not on the beach. Clear them all.

[joshstiles]

wow....(sarcasm)....there is 'encroachment' everywhere in thailand....of course the beaches draw the most tourist MONEY and therefore get all the attention....but it would be nice to walk a street anywhere in bangkok and not have to trip over every vendor and haphazardly built sidewalk....but money talks and the rest of us just trip

[simon43]

One should also bear in mind that even if someone is the legal owner of land near to the beach, it doesn't follow that they can legally build on it. There are different zoning areas and typically a beach area has a zone adjacent to high water mark where nothing can be built, followed by further zones where construction is allowed up to a certain height/area of the land.

So a Thai might legally own a beautiful piece of beachfront land, but still not be allowed to build on it.

We need absolute enforcement of the zoning laws, to remove/alter any constructions which breach the height/area regulations.

Now, why has this never been enforced before? (rhetorical question...)

[VINCENT2012]

excelent new.....please continue to brake all this mafia system.....!

before in pataya the put so many chairs near the beach that it was impossible to put a tower on the floor....i had to rent a chair to have a litle bit of place.....after a while, i run away from all these stupid places for tourist.even the thai had no places where to enjoy.

the public area has to be free for everybody.... i even do not agree that 5 stars hotel and resort, cut and take the all beach for them only and prohibit the local to have fun on their own land.

i can not understand why all governments before allowed such a thing......well i think i know why, for sure banknotes are a good reason for it.

Edited June 24, 2014 by VINCENT2012

[JacChang]

The business owners were not happy. One Laypang restaurant owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Phuket News that, with his restaurant demolished he would have trouble feeding his family.

“I’ve been operating my restaurant for 18 years now. I’m not sure if this was an order from the coup [leaders] or if the OrBorTor is just making false claims in asking us to move.

“We don’t know where we are going to do business now. Even when we knock it down, there’s no space for us to store it all. We don’t know now how we can make a living. This restaurant is my only source of income.

“I spent more than a million baht building this restaurant. If I have to build a new one, I’ll have to spend more than B2 million.

“It feels like they are bullying working people. I’m stressed. I have a family to take care of, a car and a house that I must make payments on, and other expenses. I have 30 days to move the place out.

“To be honest, I feel hopeless.”

Yea sure, it's OUR problem again huh?

It's alright for somchai to build his restaurant on PUBLIC land, because he has to feed his family. Same with, how it's alright for the taxi driver to pick up passengers at airports regardless of a law requiring registration beforehand. It's always about feeding the family, and any criminal activities are suddenly irrelevant? HA

Hope my donations to the poor never ends up with this self righteous, selfish somchai.

[iReason]

"“We don’t know where we are going to do business now. Even when we knock it down, there’s no space for us to store it all. We don’t know now how we can make a living. This restaurant is my only source of income."

Boo hoo.

Should have thought about that long ago when you engaged in your illegal activities...

[Strangebrew]

Be better when they get rid of the Russian scamers and deadbeats.

[louse1953]

Why should any business person think they have a right to free public land when other business owners have to pay for the land they do business on? To bad ... so sad you are stressed.

Dont worry,they would have paid "somebody" in the right places.

[Alwyn]

The sheer number of illegal businesses is amazing. 78 illegal businesses on the beach! That is only the latest crop of illegal operations.

I very much hope that the authorities move quickly on to serve demolition orders on the illegal businesses on Nai Yang Beach. The building of new, permanent (concrete) buildings continues unabated....

In Goa (india) they were smart about this, small bar/restaurants on the beach constructed with bamboo and bamboo mats, no umbrella's but rather canape's made from bamboo.

Cold drinks good food, no crowd, very nice. No concrete building on the beach and if the owners have to move out, low season or crackdown there is hardly any loss.

This was about 15 years ago and maybe it changed, but that's not the point.

The point is that concrete should be avoided, wood, bamboo and other natural materials give the real laid back, relaxing feeling at the beach.

Goa is (or at least was 15 years ago) a hippy destination, Phuket is not.

Goa had hippies i the 70's (as did Thailand and Ibiza for example) but not now (and 15 years ago they were limited to Anjuna). Goa is a very upmarket destination now with an abundance of 5 star hotels (it's still impossible to buy a lot of things we take for granted though). The beach shacks are just that, shacks. As the poster explained, made from natural stuff and no concrete. The beaches are amazing!

[ticher1941]

Well, there must have been a demand for these businesses in the first place. It is not too smart to make comparisons to Western countries where there is little opportunity for the little guys (and their employees) unless they have access to several millions and the premises need to be huge. The unemployment rate in Thailand is miniscule compared to the high unemployment in Western countries and the reason is the multitude of restrictions in the West through municipal and city bylaws. So I guess the wealthy in Thailand ( property expats included) are now beginning to impose their selfishness on the ordinary folks ..ie dont spoil the view from my palace that I live in for 3 weeks in the year.One of the things i love about south east Asia is the availability of small eating and drinking places on the beaches. The peoples needs are best cultivated rather than blindly restricted for the benefit of the rich. Such closed policies will only drive down tourism and aggravate the locals in the area who are trying to make a living. Deprive the locals from opportunity and crime will increase.

Next step, it will be like Vancouver BC where you don't have access to the beaches and parks after sunset and the disenfranchised are herded into East Vancouver where they can be harassed by cops and issued tickets for sidewalk selling. Please Thailand don,t go this way.

Edited June 24, 2014 by ticher1941

[Alwyn]

A lot of the restaurants at Layan blend sympathetically into the tree lines, but the law is the law. I wonder if they will have the cojones to tear down the newly built Niki beach club? It is super ugly and really does encroach on not only the beach but conservation land as well. When that goes, I'll believe it all when that goes! On another note, maybe not they will take down the fast growing pine deciduous trees planted by the bar owners for shade so that people who had bought their properties behind Layan will get there sea views back?

[Alwyn]

Well, there must have been a demand for these businesses in the first place. It is not too smart to make comparisons to Western countries where there is little opportunity for the little guys (and their employees) unless they have access to several millions and the premises need to be huge. The unemployment rate in Thailand is miniscule compared to the high unemployment in Western countries and the reason is the multitude of restrictions in the West through municipal and city bylaws. So I guess the wealthy in Thailand ( property expats included) are now beginning to impose their selfishness on the ordinary folks ..ie dont spoil the view from my palace that I live in for 3 weeks in the year.One of the things i love about south east Asia is the availability of small eating and drinking places on the beaches. The peoples needs are best cultivated rather than blindly restricted for the benefit of the rich. Such closed policies will only drive down tourism and aggravate the locals in the area who are trying to make a living. Deprive the locals from opportunity and crime will increase.

Next step, it will be like Vancouver BC where you don't have access to the beaches and parks after sunset and the disenfranchised are herded into East Vancouver where they can be harassed by cops and issued tickets for sidewalk selling. Please Thailand don,t go this way.

Well said!

[stuarty]

A lot of the restaurants at Layan blend sympathetically into the tree lines, but the law is the law. I wonder if they will have the cojones to tear down the newly built Niki beach club? It is super ugly and really does encroach on not only the beach but conservation land as well. When that goes, I'll believe it all when that goes! On another note, maybe not they will take down the fast growing pine deciduous trees planted by the bar owners for shade so that people who had bought their properties behind Layan will get there sea views back?

1. Nikki beach - crappy as it is - is on private land apparently.

2. Some of those small Layan beach bars were felling the casuarina trees at some spots so they could squeeze in more, er...small beach bars..

[Alwyn]

A lot of the restaurants at Layan blend sympathetically into the tree lines, but the law is the law. I wonder if they will have the cojones to tear down the newly built Niki beach club? It is super ugly and really does encroach on not only the beach but conservation land as well. When that goes, I'll believe it all when that goes! On another note, maybe not they will take down the fast growing pine deciduous trees planted by the bar owners for shade so that people who had bought their properties behind Layan will get there sea views back?

1. Nikki beach - crappy as it is - is on private land apparently.

2. Some of those small Layan beach bars were felling the casuarina trees at some spots so they could squeeze in more, er...small beach bars..

I'd be amazed if Nikki beach club is/was private land as the same ownership laws regarding the beach surely apply to that piece of land? It goes up the beach edge and if I'm not mistaken 80 meters from the water edge going inland belongs to the Navy/King?

[Carrerakiss]

I'll believe it when all the beach chairs and umbrellas are gone at Nai Harn!

Yeah, What's happening there beach chairs, ugly massage shacks and that awful restaurant on the southern end. Not to mention the taxi guys still lurking, I think they look worse just hanging around than when they had their salas.

And what about the newly constructed condos high up on the hill that were served with a cease and desist order months ago (according to my lawyer when chatting with me), but where work never stopped and construction is pretty much complete. They clearly break the height restriction within 80 metres of the beach.

Sometimes the breaches of planning laws are so blatant they are just embarrassing.

[Teddy3943]

A big relieve that finally justice will be done. The businesses which illegally occupied state owned land should consider that their claimed "right" denies the legal right from others.

The next step should be cleaning up all over Thailand the illegally occupied sidewalk spaces and organizing divided parking lots for motorbikes and cars. In general: the chaotic traffic situations in every Thai city. That would give a real boost to the image of Thailand. But I'm very happy already with these first steps made in Phuket.

I was always against a coup, but it looks like that this junta is what Thailand needs.

[Emster23]

Well, there must have been a demand for these businesses in the first place. It is not too smart to make comparisons to Western countries where there is little opportunity for the little guys (and their employees) unless they have access to several millions and the premises need to be huge. The unemployment rate in Thailand is miniscule compared to the high unemployment in Western countries and the reason is the multitude of restrictions in the West through municipal and city bylaws. So I guess the wealthy in Thailand ( property expats included) are now beginning to impose their selfishness on the ordinary folks ..ie dont spoil the view from my palace that I live in for 3 weeks in the year.One of the things i love about south east Asia is the availability of small eating and drinking places on the beaches. The peoples needs are best cultivated rather than blindly restricted for the benefit of the rich. Such closed policies will only drive down tourism and aggravate the locals in the area who are trying to make a living. Deprive the locals from opportunity and crime will increase.

Next step, it will be like Vancouver BC where you don't have access to the beaches and parks after sunset and the disenfranchised are herded into East Vancouver where they can be harassed by cops and issued tickets for sidewalk selling. Please Thailand don,t go this way.

Of course there is demand, as there is for other areas that are deemed not acceptable: ya ba, heroin, kiddie porn. Just because there is demand doesn't mean should be supply. I don't seem to recall any farang members of law making bodies, so idea that farangs are imposing laws regarding use of public land is inane. I happen to come from a state where the beaches are public property and any attempt to encroach on them is dealt with swiftly and firmly. It is how the people of Oregon want it, and that is why it is the law.

Open beaches are much more attractive than what is being removed in Phuket and I hope they soon come to Jomtien and get rid of umbrellas that almost totally block view of beach. I really don't see how beautiful beaches would drive down tourism. "Oh honey we can't go to Thailand, they have lovely beaches there but we would have to bring a blanket and cross street to get a beer".

[aussieinphuket]

i have just returned from Surin beach after having lunch at the new revamped Catch Club the beach looks fantastic now. even the staff say its lovely to see so many beautiful

palm trees. good work to the Army... job well done, the local authorities and Orbortor could not do the job we know why...

at the southern end they are removing anything left over and moving the sand so it slopes with the foreshore and is not a flat area so people can build structures again great idea...

just don't let them be cheeky and out chairs and tables back out as did see to the left of Catch Club some massage ladies with mattress and towels on the sand where structure gone

now they should be removed also....