Speaking at his Meet The Press conference at Provincial Hall this morning (Jan 24), Gov Chockchai confirmed that an investigative provincial committee had identified 860 venues across the island that were currently operating illegally as hotels.
“Officials found 1,367 venues actually operating as hotels in Phuket. Of those, only 507 had registered themselves as hotels,” he said.
Of the 297 hotels officials found in Muang District, which includes in Phuket Town, Kata-Karon, Wichit, Chalong, Rawai and Nai Harn, only 177 were registered.
Likewise, in Kathu District, which includes Patong, only 236 of the 833 hotels officials found were registered, and in Thalang only 94 of the 237 hotels officials found had registered, Gov Chockchai explained.
The stern warning today follows Gov Chockchai repeating his warning for all operators providing short-term rentals to register within the Jan 31 amnesty.
“If any of the hotel operators don’t follow the provincial notice within the deadline, they will face legal action,” he repeated again today.
However, he added that after that, official action could take on permanent consequences.
“All illegal hotels will be demolished,” Gov Chockchai said.
The deadline to register properties as hotels follows the Ministry of Interior on August 19 issuing a new regulation to make it easier for more property owners – especially condo owners – to obtain a hotel license.
The regulation – called the Ministerial Regulation Prescribing Descriptions of Other Types of Building Used for a Hotel Business Operation 2016 under the Building Control Act (1979) – will remain in effect for five years.
However, it applies only to buildings that existed before it came into force and whose owners desire to use the property as “Hotel” as defined by the Hotel Act. (See story here.)