An investigative team from the Phuket Provincial Office conducted a formal inspection at the Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Surin Beach yesterday (Jan 19), led by Phuket Provincial Palad (Chief Administration Officer) Rungruang Thimabut. He was joined by Thanet Navalong, Provincial Security Officer Danai Sukskul and Thalang Senior District Officer Wisut Romint.
The inspection followed widespread initial reports of an unidentified man using a key card to attempt entry into a guest room without permission, raising serious concerns over tourist safety. The room was occupied by a female DJ Mirinda Nalinratanawadee, who filed an official complaint about the incident at Cherng Talay Police Station on Saturday.
News of the incident went viral after Ms Mirinda posted a video online explaining what had happened, and the fact that the man was unable to enter the room only because she had locked the door from the inside.
Officers, through CCTV, tracked down the man, who then surrendered to police. It was then that he was mistakenly widely reported to be the hotel’s security chief.
In response to news of the incident going nationwide, Mr Rungruang yesterday said the inspection was ordered by Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn to establish the facts, verify legal compliance and assess the hotel’s security systems in order to restore public confidence.
Initial findings confirmed the hotel is currently in the process of renewing its hotel business licence, which expired on Dec 31, 2025. The establishment is registered as a Category 3 hotel with 256 rooms, located in Moo 3, Cherng Talay Subdistrict, Thalang District, said an official report of the investigation.
However, the report did not note that it is very common in Phuket for service establishments to wait months for the annual renewal of licences, despite submitting applications for renewal up to a month in advance.
Further, Mr Rungruang stressed that under the Hotel Act, hotel operators and managers are directly responsible for maintaining guest registers for at least one year, reporting guest information to the registrar and complying with Section 38 of the law, which requires operators to prevent unlawful activity or concealment within hotel premises.
“This matter is of utmost importance to administrative authorities,” Mr Rungruang said. “If it is found that the hotel was involved in, or negligent in performing its duties, this may result in the non-renewal of its hotel business licence.”
During the inspection, hotel representatives clarified details that correct earlier public reporting of the case.
Thiramon Lapsawat, the hotel’s Human Resources Manager and Group Director of People and Culture, told officials that the incident was caused by an individual who allegedly forged another employee’s identification card and deleted some CCTV footage. The hotel said it immediately launched an internal investigation, gathered evidence and filed a police complaint for trespassing at night.
The suspect was identified as Kanisorn ‘Bird’ Nuanglab, who holds the position of ‘LP Supervisor’ (Loss Prevention Supervisor). The hotel confirmed he was not the head of security, contrary to inaccurate information previously circulated online.
Mr Thiramon said the suspect has entered the legal process with police and is no longer employed by the hotel.
The hotel also confirmed it provided immediate assistance to the affected guests, including arranging room changes, issuing full refunds excluding food charges, and maintaining ongoing communication and updates. It added that its security systems are now under review and being strengthened to prevent similar incidents.
Phuket provincial officials reiterated that enforcement action in this case was taken solely in the interest of public safety.
“These measures are for the safety of all citizens and tourists, without discrimination, whether they are celebrities or ordinary members of the public,” Mr Rungruang said, adding that authorities would move swiftly to uphold safety standards and protect Phuket’s tourism image.
Immediately after news of the attempted entry to Ms Mirinda came to light, the hotel issued a formal apology, acknowledging the impact the incident had on guest safety and confidence.
“The hotel deeply apologises for the incident that occurred, which has affected the feelings and safety of our guests,” the statement read.
“The hotel places the highest priority on the safety and privacy of its guests and is not ignoring this incident. A police report has been filed, and the hotel is fully cooperating with the investigation.
“In addition, an internal audit has been conducted, including a strict review and upgrade of security measures. The hotel thanks everyone for their understanding and reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards for guests.”