Navy patrol boat Tor 233 arrived at Ao Batok on Tuesday (Mar 7) with personnel led by Rear Admiral Suchart Premprasert, Deputy Commander of the Third Area Command, to conduct its mission.
Officials from Rawai Municipality were also on board to oversee the operation, branded as “to inspect tourist services that encroach on the beach area.”
The officers “found” 24 sets of mats and beach umbrellas set up at the northern end of the beach, which serves as the main landing point for the island.
The beach mats and umbrellas were seized and removed, and one person, not named in the report of the operation, was found responsible for the encroachment onto the public beach area.
The beach mats and umbrellas and the person found responsible were brought to Phuket and taken to Chalong Police Station to face legal action, the report said.
The officers noted that if action were not taken over the encroachment onto the beach area, the problem would spread and become much more difficult to contain.