Covid 19 caution had most popular beaches closed. Those in high risk provinces were under close scrutiny while in less risky places like this province, Nakon Si Tamarat, have remained open though all services were suspended and the countrywide lockdown reduced beach going numbers to almost zero.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1930864/beachgoers-put-mayor-on-alert
Since the “ban” on beach going did not affect me i was in the water twice a day as i am also today and will be until i am able to get back home to Japan.
The beaches mentioned in the article are target weekend spots for people from a large city, Bangkok, so no surprise the numbers exploded. But beaches in distant areas, here and Phuket, are not really for the big city weekend crowds, they are for more scarce local province people and longer stay tourists and they are either fewer in numbers, non weekday visitors or, in the case of foreign tourists, travelers not allowed into Thailand yet in any significant numbers.
If you plan a beach visit try the Thai preferred places. They will be quite an interesting mix of people. Definitely avoid beaches favored by Chinese tourists. China tour groups have no problem booking people to beaches in numbers that don’t allow even enough space to sit. This was true of the beach near Phi Phi island where the movie “The Beach” was filmed staring Leonardo De Caprio. So, remember, “Life is a Beach!”