Defiant Phuket beach vendors return

Defiant Phuket beach vendors return

PHUKET — Some vendors have resumed their businesses on Surin and Bangtao beaches on the west coast of Phuket four months after the junta’s much-publicised clean-up campaign to give tourists open spaces.

Beach chairs and umbrellas are back on Surin beach on Phuket's west coast on Sunday as the southern resort island enters the high season. (Photo by Achataya Chuenniran)

Some beach chair operators, food and beverage vendors and masseuses were seen operating as usual on the sandy areas of Surin and Bangtao beaches in Thalang district on Sunday, as more tourists began to return to the southern island during the high end of year season. The areas are under the jurisdiction of Choeng Talay tambon administration organisation. 

Phuket governor Nisit Chansomwong said he was not aware of the return of the traders and would order municipal officials to check to see if public spaces on the beaches had been taken over again.

“If they have really returned to their businesses, we will need to ask them [not to] as we are in the remedial period and the province wants to introduce sustainable measures” to alleviate suffering of the operators affected by the beach clean-up campaign, Mr Nisit said. 

Concerned agencies have held several meetings to provide assistance to the affected operators, he added. 

About 500 vendors have been affected since the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) launched a campaign in July to clear major beaches nationwide of deck chairs and vendors and return the space to the public. 

Under an initial aid plan, provincial authorities earlier put some traders to work as employees of hotels and resorts on the island or provide sales space for them in the premises so that they could continue their businesses. 

Those affected would also receive vocational training so that they could change their careers and leave the beaches. 

Vendors are reported to have returned to Bangtao beach. (Photo by Achataya Chuenniran)


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