Suwit Pongkratin, 45, re-opened his makeshift restaurant on a 16 square metre plot of sand in front of Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket.
After receiving a complaint about the beach encroachment, Phuket governor Tri Augkaradacha and Phuket Police Commander Pekad Tantipong led 30 officers on a morning raid to remove the new structure.
However, this morning’s raid by Chalong police lacked the fiery confrontation of the previous demolition, which saw Suwit and his older brother Nawin Pongkratin fighting with police.
The Pongkratin family claim the original demolition was unfair, as they had run their restaurant on Karon beach for more than 30 years.
The building of any structure on the beach is illegal in Thailand.
Before the original September 18 raid, local authorities had issued a formal request for the family to move their business to an area designated by Karon Municipality, as a part of a clean-up of businesses on Karon beach.
However, the family ignored the request.
After the demolition, the eldest brother of the family, Nawin Pongkratin, was charged with running an illegal business and obstructing a police operation. He was also prevented from re-establishing his business on Karon Beach.
But not long after, Suwit reopened the eatery on the same spot.
According to an officer from the Phuket Anti-Narcotics Task Force who joined the demolition this morning, Suwit earned between B30,000 and B40,000 a month from running the beachfront restaurant.
Suwit has now also been charged for operating an illegal business.
–Photo by Phuket Anti-Narcotics Task Force