According to a statement issued by the NACC Phuket office this week, officials from the NACC Phuket office, together with members of the STRONG–Sufficiency Economy Against Corruption Club, carried out an inspection and information-gathering exercise on Mar 30 under the Empowering STRONG for Proactive Anti-Corruption (ESPAC) project.
The review focused on the high-profile glass balcony development at Surin Beach in Cherng Talay, a flagship tourism project overseen by the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO).
PPAO President Rewat Areerob presented details of the project to investigators, outlining contracts, budget allocations and current progress.
According to the report, the project’s design contract was awarded to Pisut Technology Co Ltd in May 2022 with a budget of B6.31 million. Construction was later contracted to WNJS Joint Venture in August 2023 for B196.97mn, with EMS Consultant Co Ltd appointed as project supervisor.
Construction officially began on Aug 26, 2023, with a planned completion date of Feb 15, 2025 – a total construction period of 540 days.
However, as of Feb 17, 2026, the project had been under construction for 907 days, exceeding the original timeline by 367 days.
Despite the extended timeframe, progress remains limited. Officials reported that only three of 13 construction phases have been completed and approved, with overall progress at just 25.05%.
So far, B14.28 million has been disbursed for completed work.
Penalties have been imposed on the contractor at a rate of B196,975 per day, though enforcement has been split into two periods due to earlier penalty waivers and a temporary suspension of construction ordered by Phuket officials between Dec 28, 2025 and Jan 2, 2026.
Construction has now been fully suspended since Feb 18, 2026, pending revisions to key design elements, NACC Phuket reported.
The changes are required to address issues with the structural design of the glass viewing platforms, particularly wind-load safety requirements under ministerial building regulations, as well as problems related to soil stabilisation works, the NACC report said.
Officials expect the design revisions to take approximately 45 days to complete.
The latest findings come months after the project’s original contract deadline passed in August last year, with authorities previously acknowledging that design flaws and procedural constraints contributed to delays.
At the time, Mr Rewat said he was unable to approve contract extensions independently, stressing that any decision must be reviewed by the Comptroller General’s Department to avoid potential legal or corruption risks.
The Surin Beach skywalk project is a key part of the PPAO’s plan to develop new tourism landmarks in Phuket, featuring two glass-bottomed observation decks and a multi-storey viewing tower overlooking the Andaman Sea.
However, with construction stalled, mounting delays and now a formal anti-corruption review underway, the project’s timeline for completion remains uncertain.
The NACC investigation is expected to continue monitoring the project’s progress, procurement process and compliance with regulations as authorities work to resolve the outstanding design and construction issues.