Police reveal how Phuket's public beaches were rented out - for billions

[JonathanBP 29]

Democracy is so overrated....nothing better than a (mostly) benevolent dictatorship to clean up the mess....so far, it seems good

[dukebowling 142]

What did Yutthana do wrong? He got a permit from the Mayor and then rented his services to hotels.

Edited September 25, 2014 by dukebowling

[WitawatWatawit 6,933]

Hey but what about a tax bill going to these people. Avioding tax should be 100% fine?

Tax collectors??? Could this be the crippling blow that the good general is missing? A la Al Capone? Give a whopping boost to the revenue and tax departments and then leave them to be self-sustainable.

[crazykopite 3,710]

Lock him and his cronies up for ten Years once you have got all the bank accounts cleared

[Benmart 5,366]

Next stop, Pattaya and Jomtien? Any reason it would be any different on the eastern seaboard?

Yes indeed. Both places need a total clean up, both figuratively and literally.

Good job Army, Navy and PM!

[steelepulse 5,831]

Guaranteed the jet ski and para sail guys also have to pay the piper, I wonder how much? Speaking of that, hopefully it will come to light how much this slimeball mayor collects from the taxi and tuk tuk "coop" each month to allow them to do what they please with no implications. I've seen plenty of assaults handed down by the scumbag drivers but never anyone arrested or charged.

Well done to the Army to nail this POS.

Edited September 25, 2014 by steelepulse

[IamNoone88 2,734]

I will believe the Military when they nail Patong's old leadership. Kata and Karon are peanuts when compared to what Patong has been raking in all these years. Its a mere distraction to that municipality.

[Oziex1 10,281]

but the other side tourist need sun beds and umbrellas. so someone have to rent.

Get over it! It's not coming back!

[Bignose 769]

And the cleansing process continues, just when you think it can't get any better.................. watch this space!

[dzodun 12]

There will be a few patsies who take a fall so the rest will get a slap on the wrist and finally the

statute of limitations will help many slip away to scam another day, No jail time for the great

majority of vendors nor the mayor.

[GoNavy 81]

but the other side tourist need sun beds and umbrellas. so someone have to rent.

That is what I was thinking. Do need someone on the beach to run the operation. Salaried with the rest going to the city or beach fund would be sufficient and legal I would think.

[Nuddy 299]

Are there really any of these "beach" people who actually obey the Law?

I have lost my enthusiasm for any of these guys who have been "done out of a job" because of the cleaning up of the beach.

Is it that the Thai people cannot help themselves? No thats doubtful I reckon.

I read in a book on Thailand once that Thai people like to find a subject and then leach off it.

I suppose the subject is the farlangs that show up. Yep thats amazing that they all could be like that?

But it is getting difficult to find a good guy lately.

Regards

[MobileContent 2,190]

It looks to me that some hotels were in on the deal

[natway09 5,047]

And the boys in brown got nothing out of this ?. No way, & why now has this problem come to a head They sat back & allowed it to happen

but no reward ?. Pigs fly?

Only the military can sort this out,,, the boys in brown will just organize another angle to arrange their divi a different way

[heyexile 149]

but the other side tourist need sun beds and umbrellas. so someone have to rent.

Your right and you will see the sun beds again, if done right, the operators will be licensed by city hall and the money will go into public coffers, receipts issued with an auditor to check up on things.

If the money had gone into public coffers in the first place there would be no corruption charges at this point.

I am not up on Thai civic law however most municipal governments generally can issue permits, and charge for the permits, to operate businesses on public land when they can show it is in the publics interest.

Change of management. Stricter regs on beach space taken up, very good. Fewer operating licences issued to fewer operators = licences even more valuable. Will be interesting to see who pays whom for them.

Police region 8, that rings some bells in connection with another high profile case. Still, good to see that investigating officers have not been "confused" by social media in this important moving deck-chair case.