However, she said it would be appropriate if some details may differ from other beaches. She will be discussing these points with Gov Nisit Jansomwong.
“Some tourists want to bring their own umbrellas and small portable chairs onto the sand. I am trying to educate them about the new rules. Some agree and some don’t.
“But I am trying to convince them to set up [their chairs and umbrellas] in the 10 per cent special zone [set aside for umbrellas].”
She noted that the provincial government has not yet finalised plans for all beaches but she believes that the plans aim to bring order to Phuket’s beaches – though they cannot satisfy everyone.
“People affected by the [military mandated] beach clean-up measures include not only local business operators but also tourists who cannot stay in direct sunlight, so the governor has set special zones for them.
“I will discuss the details of Patong Beach regulations with the governor again to see what can be adjusted to make them appropriate for the tourism situation [in Patong].”
“We have municipal police surveying the beach everyday but we will never remove an umbrella or beach chair that belongs to a tourist. That would be bad for the image of a tourism destination like Phuket. We just inform them [about the rules] and try to convince them [to comply with] the regulations.”
She added that another zone has been dedicated exclusively to water sports such as jet-skis and parasailing, separate from the 10-per-cent umbrella zone and the umbrella-free zone.