Gen Santi also confirmed that tomorrow (Mar 4) Karon Beach will see the return of the sun loungers.
Phuket Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan told The Phuket News on Wednesday (Mar 1) that sun loungers would be allowed back on Kata Beach today and later will be allowed back onto all nine Phuket beaches with “10% vendor zones.
However, as with Patong, where sun loungers were allowed to return to the sand on Monday (Feb 27), the loungers must remain inside the 10% zones, Gov Chockchai warned. (See story here.)
A large group of tourists looked on in surprise earlier today as the sun loungers were set out in two lines at Kata Beach.
Karon Mayor Thawee Thongcham was in attendance, however, he remained silent as Gen Santi and his team of officers from the 41st Military Circle of the Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, along with beach vendor representatives and Karon Municipality officials, inspected the area.
Speaking to The Phuket News during the inspection, Gen Santi said, “I have told Karon Municipality that the sun loungers must always be set out like this, there must be no change, and I will come back in one month to assess the situation.
“Today I have overseen the sun loungers being placed at Kata Beach, and the next place they will appear is Karon Beach,” he said.
“We will then have to see how the situation is,” he added.
When asked if he had seen the plans for the sun-lounger zones at Karon Beach, Gen Santi replied, “I haven’t seen them yet, but this plan must be sent to the Phuket Provincial beach committee by Karon Municipality.”
The Phuket News also asked Gen Santi what would happen to the signs placed at the beaches which have now become obsolete due to the return of the loungers, “Each municipality must redo the signs,” was his reply.
He also said that the Phuket Provincial beach committee will re-announce about the new beach rules, and also that his views on today’s beach inspection will be presented to his superior.
Gen Santi then reiterated a warning to tourists, “Tourists must not place their rented umbrellas outside of the 10% beach zone.
“It is illegal,” Gen Santi announced.
Chief of Karon Municipality Public Works Department Wanchai Saetan welcomed the return of the sun loungers to Kata Beach.
“Today Gen Santi has allowed the sun loungers back to Kata Beach and tomorrow to Karon Beach. They will remain here for one month and then the situation will be assessed,” he said.
When asked whether the new 10% beach zone plans had been completed, Mr Wanchai said, “The plans are not complete yet, they need to be modified again to show exactly how the beach here in Kata has been laid out today.”