Phuket police wanted to arrest tourists with beach chairs
How crazy can you get? Phuket police planned to arrest tourists who brought their own beach chairs to Patong beach.
A group of German tourists wanted to confront the police on Phuket on Saturday morning and, if necessary, call on the international press to denounce the rigid rules for Phuket's beaches. Earlier they had received a warning from the police that the beach chairs they brought were not allowed and that they would be arrested next time.
Phuket's reputation as a beach destination has already taken some beating after police confiscated a number of beach umbrellas from tourists last year.
To prevent a new riot, Vice Admiral Saiyan Prasongsamret, commander of the Royal Thai Navy on Phuket, has said that tourists are allowed to bring their own beach chairs to the beach and do not have to fear anything from the local police. He would contact Major General Pachara Boonyasit, commander of the Phuket police force, to make it clear to him that the tourists should be left alone.
Source: Phuket Wan – http://goo.gl/qJYtAv
About this blogger
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.
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In my opinion, the junta has also done a lot of good in Phuket and that was much needed.
Nevertheless, these kinds of obstacles and prohibitions are too crazy for words. During my winter stay in Thailand I also wanted to go to Phuket for a few weeks, but due to the negative developments there I have - fortunately - given up and stay in Hua Hin, where there has also been some 'cleaning up', but in a very reasonable price. Didn't see me again in Phuket.
Just at 16.15 pm everyone had their picture taken with the police! Don't take chairs to the beach tomorrow, otherwise arrest will follow, it was said by those corrupt perverts.
Well, how drunk can it be. My partner and I are currently in Phuket the tourists lying on bath towels in the full sun. There are also Thai people who, because mooring fees are prohibited, lay the mattress toppers with parasol in the sand and rent them out for 200 baht per customer. Some tourists and older people now take their own chair to the beach, but people don't want that here either. Police have warned to fine and even arrest tourists who sit on their own camping chair on the public beach. The hunt for tourists has been opened by the police. Many have read the reaction in the local newspaper that they are now more than fed up with the behavior towards tourists in Thailand by, among others, the police and are considering leaving Thailand as it is from now on. Some even consider spending their holidays elsewhere ( Cambodia / Laos ).
Last week we were ticketed in Pattaya because we could not show an international driver's license. We had photocopies of passports and driver's license (car and motorcycle) with us, but we were screwed. They made us walk more than 1 kilometer back 1 kilometer in the bloody heat to pay the ticket at the station. Our planned beach day was ruined. You can also wait an hour at the police station to put down your 400 baths. The tourists were singled out by the traffic police and the locals were able to drive on their scooter without a helmet.
Made a big mess with the police, but they laugh in your face. You will pay. You have to pay. Complete arbitrariness and pure tourist bullying.
I am now in Thailand for the 4th time, but I have to conclude that the mentality of the Thai people and especially the police is deteriorating rapidly. Keep it up and tourism will eventually take a big hit.
I have also been back for a few weeks from a month in Thailand including Pattaya, there were indeed major daily checks, but I did not see a difference between Thai and tourist in terms of persistence. For a possible next x I will advise you to bring an international driver's license, not for that 400 Baht ticket, but in case you are involved in an accident in any way. Most if not all insurance policies require you to have such a driver's license these days, otherwise you can whistle for help.
you are right, I recently sat behind my girlfriend on a motorcycle for a ride of about 3 kilometers to go for an evening walk in Bangla Road in Pattaya. In the full crowd of helmetless Thais, we were whistled from the other side of the wide and busy avenue to the police officer and we were ticketed for (like everyone else) not wearing the helmet. My girlfriend was more or less able to talk us out of it and we got away with 200 Baht, while those notes had to be given immediately to children waiting behind the wall. Family of the duty officer who sat there grinning at his table? Anyway, no note and half price paid immediately. But even if you write an entire book here about these practices, it will not reach the right people and it will not help you. Smile friendly, try to negotiate and pay what you are asked. You will eventually get off cheaper and it will save you another walk in the burning sun.
It seems to me that the Junta is causing considerable damage to Phuket economically with those idiotic bans on the beach.
But there is also a positive side to it.
The traffic problems will decrease if there are no more tourists.
I still don't quite understand the reason for banning the rental of beach chairs and umbrellas. A well-organized rental, through the granting of permits or lease contracts, serves both the employment and well-being of tourists. Moreover, if you want to fight corruption, it does not seem to me a good method if you simultaneously take away someone's daily bread.
You also receive money when selling permits and any leases, which can be used for important things in the region. The magic word here is called control, and it must be implemented in all industries, including the so-called tuk tuk mafia, which still do what we want.
Only the difficulty with a check is that the Thai police and the army must first sweep in front of their own house door, otherwise they check here, one corrupts the other…
The email below has been sent to the Thai Traffic Bureau in the Netherlands in response to the Wednesday beach closure.
Dear Madam, Sir,
For 15 years we have been spending two months in Thailand, of which this year will probably be the last.
You do everything you can to promote tourism, while the current rulers then undermine your work through idiotic measures. Especially the closing of the beaches on Wednesday is the pinnacle. It is said that this is done for the benefit of tourists. This cannot be rhymed. Because of this measure, there are only losers. There are no more incomes on Wednesday. It is true that the operators compensate for this by raising prices by up to 50%. Tourists are the victims of this. For example, there are more things that do no good to the already collapsed tourism, due to the absence of the Russian. You will undoubtedly know them.
There is hardly anything left of Pattaya beach. It has been said for years that this will be increased. When? When no one comes.
What closes the door for us is the following message:
http://goo.gl/qJYtAv
Tourism promotion??
Perhaps the current rulers should be reminded that tourism is one of the most important pillars on which the Thai economy runs.
As a farang you have one and only one right in TH: spend as much money as possible as quickly as possible, and get as little as possible in return. Isn't it the handyman you ask about, or the garage, the taxi driver or the ticket seller.
Once stopped by the police at On Nut Skytrain station BKK. He couldn't see my eyes through the screen on my helmet. After an enforced donation of 500 THB, that was suddenly possible resp. was no longer a problem.
The day will come when, as a farang, you are not allowed to have any money left over after visiting an activity, relaxation, bar, etc. So, shake that wallet empty before you leave.
You can't buy a decent house there, at most an overpriced "farang" condo, which you can only hope to sell again someday. And even more so, if your foreign heirs get involved. Not to mention the annual adventure, that your residence visa is extended for another year.
It's such a shame when I read this. Been coming to Thailand for 9 years, it's such a great country, people are so friendly and everything, but because of things like this, tourists will soon stay away and visit neighboring countries and if they like it, they won't come back. While the population suffers.
Yes, Thailand is changing very fast and NOT for the better! I notice that many people are becoming more and more openly rude towards farang and or make derogatory remarks without having given any reason to do so themselves. In restaurants, on the street and in traffic. The mask of the much-vaunted smile is crumbling at a rapid pace and more and more another (the real?) face emerges. For me a reason not to visit the country after many years . Very unfortunate, but apparently it is a feeling that lives with many farang.
It's not a very well thought out policy, making a fuss about a chair on the beach.
On the other hand, we must not forget that the country is run by a military dictatorship that has not come to power democratically. And there is still martial law.
That inevitably has dark sides, but the sun shines unabated.
Is it so much better in the Netherlands? In Amsterdam, the proud owner of a terrace permit is allowed to install heating elements on his terrace, but they may only be used in the summer. No one protests against that. Resigned is obeyed. People are forced to stay 'cosy' at home, in front of the TV.
Or they go to Thailand of course.
You are all wrong. Thailand is not getting any worse… on the contrary, it has just stayed the same as it was years ago. Well, the change for now may come as a surprise to someone who hasn't been to Thailand that long. But it was like that years ago. No, Thailand has actually become too tolerant of tourists, if you see how some foreigners behave or walk around.
Of course people become unfriendly the closer you get to the tourist areas… that was no different in the past…
There is nothing that surprises me…nor anything that can be explained “logically”…it is just Thailand the way it lives.
The change is certainly a surprise.
Tourism used to be central, but it seems that the Thai government would rather lose a large part of the tourists than rich.
In any case, I cannot imagine that they themselves think that the destruction of the beach facilities is appreciated by the tourists.
It is possible that fewer tourists spend more money than sitting on the beach all day.
Maybe they should spend their days lounging by the pool in luxury hotels and traveling around Thailand.
Furthermore, it seems that they are in the process of curtailing "sinful" behavior.
The availability of alcohol will be restricted and prostitution will probably also be tackled.
I don't think it's out of the question that the bars will soon be dealt with harshly.
Or it is a well-thought-out plan of the rich elite to have tourists bullied, through the influence of tourists the middle classes become richer, the people become more aware and they do not like that, they prefer the feudal state, in which the common people have nothing to do tell, read protest, has.
Still no beach chairs for tourists not even their own, choose another holiday destination!!
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-navy-police-ban-beach-chairs-holiday-islands-beaches-21885/
Have been coming to Phuket (patong) for 6 years now
And think this will be the last year.
Today with my own purchased chairs and umbrellas to the beach in the sun
Suddenly three young guys with paper in hand ( no Dreams on the beach )
I told them that I had bought my chairs in big C and they signaled me to lie down with my chairs and umbrellas under the trees that I was too far on the beach, and they quickly took a picture and they were gone.
A little further the same story and there they said they would come back tomorrow to clean up the chairs that are too far on the beach.
I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow.
Promises not to be a sunny day.
I have now been in Thailand for the 6th year, but Thailand is fast on the way to chasing away the tourists. I spent a large part of my holiday on the beach, but that is no longer the case due to those ridiculous rules. Beds are no longer allowed. Now they only rent out the pillows that were on the beds. Can someone tell me what the difference is with a bed that stands on legs? It takes up the same space. I don't have a holiday to carry my own beds and umbrellas. It was just well organized for this. It is now really a disorganized mess with tourists trying to get a place under the trees.
And then that exaggerated hunt for tourists who have rented a moped. It is almost impossible to escape the daily checks. Rented a moped 3x and yes 2x a ticket because I didn't have a valid driver's license. The third time I was also stopped, but then my Dutch driver's license was accepted. Do you still get it. The Thais were not checked and could even drive on without a helmet. Oh yes, I had to pay 2x 500 bath and so did my wife who also rode a moped.
What has remained is the rental of jet skis by “criminals” on the beach. Link soup to rent a jet ski. Renters are regularly scammed after a ride because they allegedly broke something during the ride. Ridiculous amounts are being asked for the so-called repair. Why is nothing being done about this?
In short, after the takeover of power, things have certainly not gotten any better. If the situation does not change, they will not see me and many others who have been going to Thailand for years. Is that sometimes the intention?
Jan Rijser
Jan, I largely agree with you, what are they doing, but if you cannot show a valid motorcycle license then you are wrong, luckily there are also agents who will let you continue,
They read
So this is one of the reasons to skip Thailand this year and, among other things. to go to the Philippines how a tourist country can kill itself so much, I just can't get my head around it