The officials, led by OrBorTor Sakoo vice-president Surin Yotarak, and backed by the military, rolled up to the beach ready to knock the restaurant down after the owners lost a court hearing which they hoped would keep the place intact.
“On October 24, the Phuket Provincial Court denied an application to protect the club, because it is located on public land,” Mr Surin revealed to The Phuket News.
“In the past, a representative of the restaurant made a false statement to the court or at least twisted information it presented,” he said, paraphrasing the court’s written finding. “After the court reconsidered the matter, it found the facts did not match with the earlier statement.
“The court’s point is that it was illegal to build there, and all responsibility for public areas lies with the local government [OrBorTor],” he added.
As a result the OrBorTor was within its rights to issue a demolition order – which it did – whether the owner complied or not.
Despite the court ruling, the owner, Aroon Peawpan, didn’t see it that way.
“They cannot demolish my restaurant unless they have approval from the Provincial Government,” he said.
After two hours of discussion, Thalang District Office Chief Supot Chanakit arrived to join the debate. He invited the parties to take the discussion into a close-door meeting with the media excluded.
At the end of this, Mr Supot announced that it had been agreed that the demolition would be put back. “We decided to postpone because [having a demolition going on] might damage Phuket’s image during the Asian Beach Games.”
Nai Yang will be the venue for beach athletics on November 20, Beach modern pentathlon on November 21, and triathlon and duathlon events the following day.
Although the area of the beach where the events will take place is about a kilometer from the restaurant, he said “It might not be a beautiful landscape if athletes or spectators are confronted with a partial demolition.”
He then walked away before anyone could ask follow-up questions.