THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014
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SURIN BEACH
MORE BAD NEWS FOR BUSINESSES? LIFE
LIFE PAGE 11
Street of colour and family fun
Staff of a beach club at Surin Beach dismantle the club’s wooden seaside deck. It was one of many businesses that bowed to an order that they clear illegal structures off public land.
Anthika Muangrod reporter4@classactmedia.co.th
O
ver the past week business owners have been ripping out structures illegally occupying public land on the west side of the walkway at Surin Beach – the side next to the beach. But now it has emerged that every kind of business along the beach
may be closed down and dismantled because they are operating on public land on the east side of the walkway. Starting on Monday (June 16) bars, beach clubs and restaurants bowed to orders from Vice-Governor Jamroen Tippayapongthada, backed by the might of the Army, and began pulling down salas, bowers and shade awnings, ripping out timber floors and taking sledge hammers to concrete. Zazada Beach Club has the big-
gest demolition problem; they have a swimming pool sunk into the public land. That news was bad enough for the business owners. But then came confirmation that the remaining halves of all these businesses are on public land, too, and the Army has passed down the word that it wants them, too, cleaned out. Governor Maitri Inthusut confirmed on Thursday (June 19) that
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the public land at Surin Beach “must be cleared soon”. He has assigned the details of this job to Ma’an Samran, Chief Executive of Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor). Mr Ma’an admitted to The Phuket News on Wednesday morning (June 18) that there is a distinct possibility that buildings along the path, which belong to the OrBorTor, will have to be ripped down soon.
SPORT
PAGE 31
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