Under the instruction of Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, Deputy Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam, Chief Administrative Officer of the Phuket Provincial Office (Palad) Somprat Prabsongkhram, Thalang District Chief Bancha Thanu-in, Thalang District Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Panjapong Boonchan, appointed police officers visited the site at Leypang Beach around 4:30pm yesterday afternoon.
They discovered three separate outlets that were providing food and beverages to tourists, in addition to providing the tourists with beach chairs, sunbeds and umbrellas.
Two individiuals identified themselves as owners of two of the venues are were sunsequently arrested for selling alcoholic beverages withour permission and for contravening the Land Code, 1954, section 9(1) / 2. Offenses under the Forest Act, 1941, section 54 / 3. Offenses under the Enhancement and Conservation of Forest Quality Act, B.E. 1992 Section 99.
Police then proceeded to confiscate items from the venues such as tables, chairs and sunbeds. Police also warned that all building structures at the site would be demolished in due course.
Officials believed they had demolished the last remaining illegal beachfront buildings on some 178 rai of state land at the Layan Beach site estimated to be worth over B10 billion on Sept 30.
The Department of Special Investigations (DSI) originally served eviction notices in 2017 after the Supreme Court ruled that the occupiers were illegally encroaching on state land. Several ‘final warnings had been made since then, with the last eviction notice served on Sept 12, 2022.
The encroachers were ordered to vacate the plots by Sept 30 or else officials would remove their buildings for them.
The three venues operating yesterday were therefore deemed to be doing so illegally and in violation of the Supreme Court Order.
Several signs posted at Layan Beach claiming that ownership of the land was still in dispute under a case being heard in court were removed last Wednesday (Oct 26).