Chalong resumes “waters’ fee

CHALONG: After a hiatus of a year, the Chalong Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) recently resumed collecting fees from yacht skippers at the One-Stop Service office, sparking concern among yachties that the notorious Phuket Waters Fee had been reintroduced. But the Chief Administrator of Orbortor Chalong, Paritta Thitkonglad, explained today that the fee, collection of which resumed at the beginning of the year, applied only to yachts mooring in Chalong Bay. According to K. Paritta, sailors pay the same rate as they would if they moored at other sites, such as the Boat Lagoon. The money collected would be used to keep the beach and surrounding area clean, she said. She noted that there was a one-year period during which no fee was collected because of “complications” in the one-stop service. No further explanation was given. K. Paritta said that the amount payable depends on the size of yacht. “The fee is paid every time you come into Thailand,” she added. “Every time you anchor, we ask how long you will be here, and you pay accordingly.” “If you go out of Thailand then come back in, you must pay the fee again.” K. Paritta explained that at the One-Stop Service there are officials from various departments, including Immigration, the Marine Office, Customs and OrBorTor Chalong, saving sailors the trouble of having to go to offices in different parts of the island to complete documentation on arrival.