Patcharapol Panrak
Najomtien officials raided 10 illegal food and
recreation stalls that had set up shop on public land that were
allegedly annoying locals with excessive noise.
Sub-district Mayor Sompong Sainapa, Moo 2 Village
Chief Somnuk Kabkhan and Najomtien Police Superintendent Col. Kiatpong
Namla went out to the Sattahip beachfront area May 9 after complaints
that merchants had erected shacks and more-permanent structures on
public property and were offering food, drinks, foot massages and
rentals of jet skis and powered paragliders.
Like others working the beach, an unnamed staffer at
the Jet Ski Bar, the largest and sturdiest of the structures, denied
ownership of the stalls. None of the businesses had deeds showing
ownership or lease of the beachfront, nor licenses to operate.
Kiatpong photographed the offenders and their shops
and Sompong directed sub-district workers to look into demolishing the
shops.
Najomtien crime suppression chief, Surachet Kaewkam,
said the raid inspired urgent phone calls from the actual, also unnamed,
owners, who allegedly claimed that personal connections in government
had given them permission to set up on the beach.
Sompong said, however, that not only were the shops illegal, the
gas-powered paragliders were noisy and destroyed the peaceful atmosphere
on the beach. Therefore, he said, he rejected the supposed owners’ pleas
and carried on with eviction plans.
