More than 60 businesses along Kamala Beach were knocked down at the beginning of July, but the 15 claim that their businesses are on land with SorKor 1 papers, and are therefore legal.
They have lodged an appeal with the court for a stay of execution while the authorities check the papers.
The business owners believe they have the right to do business on the land because they are in the same area as two hotels that border the beach, the Novotel and the Courtyard by Marriott, which have been proven to have legitimate papers.
At a meeting at the Kamala Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) offices yesterday afternoon (July 29), Vice Governor Jamroen Tippayapongtada ordered the Kathu District Officer and the Marine Department to check the borders of their land.
V/Gov Jamroen told The Phuket News that the OrBorTor had already posted orders to knock down the structures because the buildings “don’t have a permission to build because the SorKor 1 paper is not yet proved legal”.
“We can’t conclude what to do to them at this point. The business owners have requested the court to protect them temporarily [from demolition]. So, we must wait until August 16 to see what the court will decide.
“I have asked the Land Department to check their papers to see whether they are legal or not, and the Marine Department to check the borders. We will see on August 16 what happens.”
Kittipong Teeranatthapong, a Deputy Prosecutor of the Phuket Provincial Court said, “If the court grants their request for a temporary stay while the papers are checked, it means that the court sees a possibility that the land papers are legitimate.
“But if the court decides not to grant their request, they will probably lose eventually.”