Tourists welcome back the sight of sand

Tourists welcome back the sight of sand

>> The National Council for Peace and Order set itself the ambitious mission of stamping out beach encroachment and bringing mafia gangs in popular tourist resort towns to heel. After a series of well-publicised raids that have removed large numbers of beach umbrellas and illegal restaurants, it has received favourable feedback. 

Sea, sun ... and sand: Life's a beach, and there's plenty of space to enjoy it these days on Karon beach in Phuket, one of several targeted for cleanup by the regime.

Pattaya City in Chon Buri, Hua Hin resort town in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phuket were locked into its radar as they are the most popular beach destinations for foreign travellers. The three areas draw in a huge amount of revenue for the country, but their image is decidedly tattered these days because of rip-offs and extortion. 

Phuket hit the spotlight first when the military moved on its beaches in July. 

The NCPO ordered the 4th army, the 3rd naval area command and various state agencies to launch the operation.

The combined forces were also given the task of tackling similar problems in the six Andaman coastal provinces. 

The sweeping crackdowns caused the encroaching installations in public areas and beaches to be removed. 

Mafia types, influential figures, unregistered taxi operators and public land encroachers were all targeted. 

The agencies involved have been praised by foreign tourists and the Thai public for the stringent crackdown, particularly the reclaiming of beaches.

Beach chairs and umbrellas owned by influential gangs were removed from 14 popular beaches: Patong, Kata, Karon, Nai Yang, Nai Thon, Sai Kaew, Ya Nui, Surin, Bang Tao, Ra Wai, Nai Harn, Kamala, Kalim and Laem Singh. The crackdown left many business operators jobless.

Hurting financially, they urged provincial authorities to quickly reorganise the beaches and allow them some space for their businesses. 

The provincial office contacted district offices to seek cooperation from private firms and hotels to recruit the jobless.

In Hua Hin, complaints were lodged over extremely expensive food, invading shops and accommodation on public areas as well as extortion. 

A crackdown was launched that targeted the encroaching shops. 

Speaking after the sweep up, Hua Hin beach business leader Somprapha Morakan said the operators would wait for Hua Hin municipality to set aside new locations for their businesses. 

She said the vendors are ready to set up new stalls as soon as approval is given because the annual tourist invasion of Hua Hin has begun. 

In Pattaya, foreign mafia gangs backed by certain state officials have been sidelined. Order has been restored — to some extent. 

According to officials, Pattaya is the most difficult place to deal with because of the creeping influence of criminal outsiders. 

It is also a major hideout for transnational criminals. 

Troops from the 14th Military Circle began the campaign by thwarting unregistered taxi and motorcycle taxi operators, who were known to extort money behind the scenes. 

Their next target will be mafia types from countries such as Slovakia, Germany and Russia. "Forces from navy units will be used in this secret operation," a source said.

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