Mr Borpith Chomchiey, a transport specialist at the Phuket Marine Office confirmed to The Phuket News yesterday (Dec 9) that his office filed a complaint against the Sahayotasathapat Co Ltd construction company and Karon Municipality at Karon Police Station yesterday in relation to the project.
“We filed a complaint with police after our investigation revealed that Karon Municipality did not get building permission for any structure that will protrude into the water from the Marine Office.”
The investigation came after the Marine Office was notified on November 23 that the project was being constructed on NorSorLor land explained Mr Borpith.
“On Dec 5 officials from our office went to inspect the area and found a 75.30 metre by 60 centimetre wall being built into the beach. The project was approved by a committee set up by Provincial Hall, however, they failed to propose the project with the Marine Office before construction started so we filed the complaint,” he said.
“We held a meeting today with the vice governor and Karon Municipality has now been ordered to get a permit from the Marine Office with approval by the Provincial Hall committee.
“They can continue with construction on the land but not on the beach area yet,” Mr Bopith added.
In the complaint filed with police, the Marine Office said that the contract company and Karon Municipality are breaching sections 117,118 and 120 of the Navigation in Thai Waters Act of 1913 (revised in 1922).
The penalty for breaching section 118 is a fine of between B500-B10,000 per square metre of structures protruding into the water. The penalty for excavating on land to build a canal is between bout B5,000-B50,000.
The project is aimed at improving the overall landscape of the area and the public utilities at Karon Beach, close to the Nong Harn reservoir. Items included under the project include a walkway, sea wall, car parking, erosion protection blocking (Durahold) and light installation. (See story here.)