Mr Samran stands accused of “operating market business without permission from local officials” and violating an order from local officials to shut the market down, reports the Phuket Info Center.
The action was brought against him by the legal department of Chalong Municipality.
Mr Samran arrived at Chalong Police Station with his daughter to meet Pol Lt Siraphat Chupong, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Chalong Police Station.
More than 50 local residents, business operators and vendors bringing flowers and holding placards also arrived at the police station in support of Mr Samran, who was very popular during his term as Chalong Mayor.
Mr Samran said that he was not worried about the charges because he has already sent various documents and evidence to support his actions.
“All have been given to Chalong Municipality. and confirm that the construction of the market is legal and the change in building use has already been submitted to the officials of Chalong Municipality as well,” he said.
The Suk Samran market has been in operation for about a decade, with strong support form the local community.
Mr Samran spent B400,000 on building the market, with the intention of providing low income earners a way to make a living selling fresh produce, food and drinks. The market proved very successful, and soon provided incomes for 75 vendors.
The Suk Samran market also became a critical avenue for addressing the problem of other market vendors being forced to relocate due to the construction of Chalong Hospital in 2015.
Mr Samran vowed to resign as Chalong Mayor if the market vendors selling their wares at the site of the at that time yet to be built Chalong Hospital were not “welcomed” to set up shop at their new temporary home, at the ‘Suk Samran’ market in front of Phuket Country Home. Mayor Samran made his pledge to more than 150 vendors who turned up at Provincial Hall.
Mr Samran has also always had strong support from the market vendors. In 2019, he gave away five tonnes of mangosteen at the market as a gesture of goodwill.
He bought the mangosteen from farmers in Phang Nga who were suffering due to the price of fresh mangosteen plummeting. He had the mangosteen given away as a way to attract more people to the market, in order to help the local vendors at the market.