29 November 2008, 4:04 am
Buriram has the possibility of attracting far more tourists if we would add more places for foreign and local residents to go.
We need a free beach. That's right, that's what I said. We have two considerable bodies of water located along the Buriram Prakhonchai Highway--- the Huay Jorakae Maak and the Huay Talat Resevoirs. Each is a potential location for a proper beach setting. A mere 2 million baht Is all that is needed for the purchase of 500 trees, 1,500 cubic meters of white river sand, twenty cement picnic tables, 9,000 square meters of mahli grass, the construction of proper bathroom and shower facilities to support the beach and area for free camping. A set aside, roped off or chained off area for swimming and a separate launching area for jet skis along the Huay Talat is possible and do-able. Five rai of accessible land between the nearby elementary school of Ban Yoei Sakae and the proposed beach area of 150 meters long and 40 meters wide are available for development. The Thai military is willing to provide the necessary manpower to construct this beach and camping area and can be easily augmented by the soldiers from the local garrison plus a large corps of secondary school student cadets who could also cooperate in this undertaking.
I rememeber and often quote from one of my favorite Kevin Costner films, Field of Dreams. The main character in the film, a struggling corn farmer with a wife and two young children, begins to hear voices which declare, "If you build it, they will come!" He hears it so much that he realizes it is up to him to do what the voices direct. He is directed to clear off his current corn crop, even though by doing so he is jeopardizing his livelihood and possibly bringing about the seizure of his land for failure to pay off his bank loans. Everything he has rides on the success of his venture. He ploughs up his crop and constructs a baseball park so that an imaginary baseball game can be played on the site. Just as he is about to lose everything, thousands of spectators show up and pay him for the privilege of seeing that game. He saves his farm.
Foreign Tourism in Thailand has been suffering as of late and it is desperately in need of a shot in the arm. Local tourism does too. The benefits accrued from investing in this project will be long lasting and beneficial to all who live and work here. The citizens of this province need a place to go that is nearby, inexpensive, scenic and relaxing. The potential is all here. Let's go for it!
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