Is Kata a Private Beach?

[dirtydog]

I quite liked this one, we get it a lot with the Pattaya scum that call themselves beach vendors

Is Kata private beach?

One day, my girlfriend and I decided to go for a swim at Kata Beach. As soon as we arrived and got settled on the sand, an “umbrella man” came and asked if we wanted to rent beach chairs. We declined, because we were only going to stay on the beach for 15 to 20 minutes, and we had already just put our stuff down between some beach chairs – there was maybe one meter of empty space around us. This man then told us that this area was private property and we had to leave.

Other people who were sitting on the sand like us were also asked to move. Everyone was surprised.

This is the first time something like this has happened to me in Thailand. I thought that the beach was the property of the government, but maybe the man has the rights to Kata Beach. Is it a private beach now? If I want to stay on Kata Beach, do I have to rent a beach chair?

Mr Simon, Kata



Thursday, August 30, 2012 1205 PM

“All beaches are the property of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej and are monitored by the government. Everyone has the right to use them.

The Kata Beach Umbrella Club is controlled by Karon Municipality, but the beach umbrella operators probably hired someone who doesn’t understand that the beaches are not private.

I would suggest that you file a complaint at the Karon Municipality Office. Once that is done, we can investigate the case. Knowing the exact spot and being able to identify the person who claimed that the beach was private property would be very helpful.”

Thursday, August 30, 2012 1205 PM Weerasak Anakewongsawad, Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) of Karon Municipality.

[dirtydog]

but the beach umbrella operators probably hired someone who doesn’t understand that the beaches are not private.

Hell, halfway through the paragraph and he is making excuses for them already, you can bet your life nothing at all would be done about any complaints.

[crocman]

Move down to Kata Noi beach.It looks private because of the Katathani hotel taking up the length of the beach but just walk through the resort to reach a beach that IMO is cleaner,better and quieter.There are umbrella/chair and surfboard vendors but they only occupy a small part of the beach and the guy I had dealings with was actually a top bloke.

[aging one]

Never had a problem and we always stay in Kata. There is a big car park at the entrance to the beach. If you go to your left you will be in the area with beach chairs and you must pay to sit, relax, and have food brought to you, as you head right up toward the Club Med its just open beach you can sit and relax anywhere you want. A nice view of Kata Noi, Kata, and Karon up at the top.

[richie22]

Never had a problem and we always stay in Kata. There is a big car park at the entrance to the beach. If you go to your left you will be in the area with beach chairs and you must pay to sit, relax, and have food brought to you, as you head right up toward the Club Med its just open beach you can sit and relax anywhere you want. A nice view of Kata Noi, Kata, and Karon up at the top.

Why do you have to pay if you go left?
It's all the same beach No one has the right to charge you.
I would not call it a big car park room for about 15 cars and that's when its not full of vendors and bikes
The Club Med and a couple of other resorts have their own chairs down there now.
Fck knows who gave them the right to do that.
There is only a couple of decent beaches left down here now with no jet skis's and speeds boats nearly taking your head off every few mins

[aging one]

You have to pay because its a beach concession. If you want a beach chair you pay, if not you walk closer to the beach and sit in the sand. We as a family have done both and never been hassled. The only problems I have seen is when people sit in the chairs and dont pay. Usually Russians.

[ribblerat]

While i agree that if somebody is providing a service , for example putting out some chairs or loungers , then they are not doing it for nothing , and of course should be paid if you chose to use them , but when it's what i would call empty beach , then they can go and whistle as far as i'm concerned , if you want paying then provide a service , but don't expect people do drop you some Dollar for sitting on what is after all a public Beach !!!

[Exige]

What the problem with renting deck chairs?

[ossie]

I own some land which leads directly onto the beach ( I do not call it BeachLand ) I can tell you that the Marine Department own the beach on behalf of the King When I wanted to build my sea wall / entrance I had to get the okay not just from planning but also the marine department, however there are many resorts who will claim they own the beach and indeed there are many resorts where you have to walk through there property to get onto the beach so it sometimes pays to buy a cold drink off them and they do not bother you . I keep the area of beach in front of my land very clean which makes the Marine department very happy but I never claim it to be private beach land and to be honest when I see resorts or private dwellings claiming that the beach is private it does piss me off !!!!!!!!!!

[ChoakMyDee]

You are a "second class citizen here". Asserting your rights is something that could be very dangerous for you here. You have to learn your place in this society and keep your head down if you want to get along here.

To answer your question, it doesn't matter if the beach is private or not. If the mafia are telling you to move, you better move or you will have big problems.

[jamiejambos]

I own some land which leads directly onto the beach ( I do not call it BeachLand ) I can tell you that the Marine Department own the beach on behalf of the King When I wanted to build my sea wall / entrance I had to get the okay not just from planning but also the marine department, however there are many resorts who will claim they own the beach and indeed there are many resorts where you have to walk through there property to get onto the beach so it sometimes pays to buy a cold drink off them and they do not bother you . I keep the area of beach in front of my land very clean which makes the Marine department very happy but I never claim it to be private beach land and to be honest when I see resorts or private dwellings claiming that the beach is private it does piss me off !!!!!!!!!!

Are you sure YOU own the land Ossie.? the reason i am asking is ,having resided in Thailand for a number of years i have only managed to obtain a 30 year lease on one rai of land and an USUFRUCT agreement on an additional 350 talangwa plot on which my house is built. Please impart some of your knowledge onto me as to how i can own land in in the LOS.....I am completely at a loss.

[Looper]

What the problem with renting deck chairs?

The problem for me is the immobility.

If they gave you ticket that entitled you to sit on any deckchair on the island for that day then it would be fine for me. But instead you are stuck with that vendor's small section of that beach. An alternative solution would be to charge by the hour but too complicated for Somchai I think.

[Spin]

This man then told us that this area was private property and we had to leave.

I'd have said if it is private then he couldn't be there either and suggest that we leave together at the same time, perhaps he can show me somewhere nice to have a quiet beer.
Thai people hate it when confronted with logic like this and tend to back off and leave you alone.