CHAI NAT — Chai Nat provincial officials will temporarily dismantle a dilapidated pier long used as a makeshift campsite by foreign backpackers and take steps to prevent its use once repairs are complete.
A pier in Chai Nat province popular with foreign backpackers will be dismantled, repaired and restored, but only after measures are taken to prevent tourists from using it as an illegal campground. (Photos by Chudate Seehawong)
Governor Sutthipong Julcharoen Monday ordered the pier outside Chai Nat's provincial hall taken down for repairs before the Nov 6 Loy Krathong festival. The pier belongs to the province and is only used for official events and other special occasions.
Low-budget tourists long have been camping on the pier to enjoy the riverside atmosphere and avoid paying for hotel rooms. To date, no action has been taken to prevent their access, but residents recently complained and expressed concerns for the tourists' safety in the wake of the recent murders of two British backpackers on Koh Tao.
Residents said tourists sometimes set up as many as four tents on the pier. Most of them were couples and they often engaged in public displays of affection that could put them at risk. Some also drank alcohol and made loud noise during their overnight stays, locals complained.
Governor Sutthipong on Monday met with local administrative and tourist officials to discuss the issue. The meeting concluded that authorities would remove and repair the pier for use on the Loy Krathong festival. The temporary absence of the structure would be an ad hoc measure to solve the problem of unauthorized access by the backpackers, he said.
Once the repaired pier is restored to its place, other measures, including installation of more CCTV cameras and warning signs in foreign languages, would be taken.
Tourist police also will patrol the area and other tourist spots more often and advise holiday makers not to camp in unauthorized locations, Mr Sutthipong said.
