The “inspection” was carried out by the Mueang Phuket District Administrative Special Operations Team joined by officers from the Karon Police and officials from Karon Municipality, said an official report of the raid.
In making the arrests, the officers seized 100 sets of sunbeds and umbrellas belonging to the three arrested.
Of note the Administrative Special Operations Team from the Mueang Phuket District Office was led by Veerasak Khamkerd, Muang District Deputy Chief for Security, joined by personnel from the Volunteer Defense Corps (OrSor) designated the “Phuket District Tourism Special Operations Team”.
Also joining the raid were the Assistant Village Headman for Moo 2 and Moo 4, Karon.
The raid was the result of a complaint filed that the operators had set up the sunbeds and umbrellas in order to charge fees from tourists, the report explained.
The three operators were found to have set up their sunbeds outside the ‘10% zone’, where vendors may legally operate on the beach.
The officials today also inspected the vendors inside the 10% zone to ensure that they were authorised to operate on the beach and that they were not selling alcoholic beverages or other intoxicants.
They were also checked to make sure they did not employ foreign workers to set out the sunbeds and umbrellas.
The three persons arrested, unnamed in the report, have been charged for breach of the provincial order regulating the areas on the beaches where vendors may operate, the official report confirmed.
“Karon Municipality will continue to process fines against in in accordance with the law,” the report said.
The raid today follows a group of local residents filing a formal complaint with Governor Sophon last week, calling for action against people operating illegally on the beaches in Karon Subdistrict (which includes Kata Beach).
The complaint included allegations that some of the operators hired foreigners to provide the sunbed and umbrella service.
The complaint also accused Karon Municipality of engaging in suspicious practices in selecting which people were approved to provide sunbed services on the beach.
Removing illegal sunbed operators from Kata Beach has now become more than an annual event. Several illegal operators were removed from Kata Beach in April. For that action, the Royal Thai Army was called in.