Gen Wiwat said he was “satisfied” with the progress made in clearing illegal structures and illegal vendors from the beaches, and advised local officials to “stay away” from protest leaders who acted “irrationally”.
Gen Wiwat and his entourage visited Patong, Kamala, Surin and Leypang beaches to check on the progress of the beach-clearing project as ordered by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
Among the bevy of local officials on hand to greet Gen Wiwat and his team were Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat, Phuket Provincial Police Chief Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen and local administration officials.
The Fourth Army Region, based in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, is the base responsible for all army operations throughout all of Southern Thailand, including Phuket.
“We want to maintain the natural beauty of the beaches after clearing all illegal structures,” Gen Wiwat said.
“Some residents have protested the beach clearing project as they have lost their source of income, but righteousness (sic) is the key in dealing with these people. We must not negotiate with their leaders who seek to attack officials and refuse to hear anything else,” he added.
Gen Wiwat’s comments followed his visit to Surin beach, where a group of beachfront business operators handed a complaint saying that they were suffering under the beach clearing project and asked officials for help.
Unimpressed with the verbage used by the business group leader, Gen Wiwat refused to answer any of the group’s questions, and instead simply received the complaint and walked away.
“Gen Wiwat wants us to keep working on organizing the beaches and maintain its natural beauty as mush as possible,” said Ma Ann Samran, Chief of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor).
“The beach-clearing project in Cherng Talay is almost complete, with only two to three per cent left to go. This has been delayed due to legal issues,” he added.