A meeting to consider the monitoring of public areas on Cha-Am beaches was recently held at the Cha-Am Municipality. Chaired by the Deputy Governor of Phetchaburi Dr. Krai Bunbandan, the meeting had many participants, most of whom were public officers. Those in attendance included Pol. Maj. Gen. Wichanwat Borirakkul, Col. Suradet Prakhenri, Col. Sihadet Disonthichot, the chief officer of Phetchaburi Provincial Office Mr. Jatuphol Piyamputra, the Cha- Am District Chief Mr. Parinya Phothisat and the Mayor of Cha-Am Mr. Nukul Pornsomboonsiri. The Phetchaburi Provincial Office has received complaints from tourists about problems of using public areas on Cha-Am beaches caused by some venders and owners of folding beds on the beaches. The Governor would like to set up a committee to monitor the areas closely.
The committee, chaired by the Deputy Governor of Phetchaburi with the Cha- Am District Chief as the secretary, will be responsible for making all public areas on the beaches well-organised and give the Governor a progress report on a regular basis. At the meeting, the chairperson explained to the participants about law and regulations that could be applied and enforced if necessary, particularly the Article 122 from the Act of Local Administration (Vol. 11) of 2008 which enables the District Chief to work with members of local administrative offices to protect public areas of the country and allow people to use the areas without conflict. In addition, the regulations of the Interior Ministry of Thailand regarding taking care of and protecting public areas of Thailand issued in 2010 also enables the District Chief and local administrative offices to monitor and protect the public areas.
The Cha-Am District Chief, as the committee secretary, informed the meeting participants about some measures that the Cha-Am District Office should put in place together with the Cha-Am Municipality. They are: Street venders on footpaths in the area of the Cha-Am beaches should provide space for people to walk conveniently. They need to dress properly and provide customers with an exact price list. 31 shop owners whose buildings are built on public areas should be informed that their buildings will be pulled down and the officers concerned will also monitor other public areas allegedly trespassed. Other public areas apart from the beaches have been affected.
Concerned officers were asked to probe a legal case in which an owner of a restaurant and an owner of a hotel were involved. Shops and restaurants near Wat Neranchararam Buddhist Monastery should discuss public area management with the Buddhist monks. Finally, the Deputy Governor of Phetchaburi talked about establishment of one more Centre managed by the Cha- Am Municipality on the beach besides the existing one at the municipal office.
The Centre will help visitors and tourists who would like to complain about any problems on Cha-Am beaches. The Cha-Am Municipality, the Cha-Am local police office, the Phetchaburi office of Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Phetchaburi Tourism Business Association will discuss recruiting staff to work at the new centre.
