Vendors flock back to Phuket’s Surin beach

Driving past Surin Beach, Phuket, over recent weeks you’d be wondering if you hadn’t travelled back in time to the days, pre-military coup (2014), when the umbrellas and cheap white plastic sun lounges were ubiquitous lined up along Phuket’s beaches.

Cherng Talay President MaAnn Samran, has confirmed that the beach chairs and umbrella operators have, indeed, returned to Surin Beach last week.

“They are not allowed to rent out beach chairs and umbrellas and no trading of any kind is allowed on the beach. Under the beach management policy of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Surin beach was labelled ‘virgin beach’ or ‘vendor free beach’ so that the people, both locals and tourists, can enjoy,” he told The Phuket News.

“Phuket was the only province in Thailand to be introduced to the ‘beach management policy’ and now the vendors still remain on the beach today. We have told the local villagers and the beach operators that we will be sending them warning letters, and have installed four signs on the beach to remind them that no trading is allowed on the beach.”

But the current return to the beach by the vendors and the sun lounge renters has been happening for weeks.

The local vendors’ return to Surin Beach follows the Cherng Talay OrBorTor posting a notice on December 23 ordering all vendors to vacate Surin Beach by January 12, or face having their business “demolished” by the OrBorTor. All vendors evacuated their areas but later filed an appeal with the Phuket Governor for the right to make a living by serving tourists on the beach.

SOURCE: The Phuket News