The arrests were made during a coordinated inspection at about 12:30pm on Thursday (July 2), led by officials from Mueang District Office, Rawai Municipality, Chalong Police and the Phuket Forest Protection Unit.
The operation was carried out under the direction of Phuket Governor Chotinrin Kerdsom, Deputy Governor Khetarat Chansilp, Phuket City District Chief Siwat Rawangkul and Rawai Mayor Thames Kraithat.
Officials inspected a seven-rai plot of public land covered by Land Title Deed No. 29883, known as the Khao Daeng Livestock Reserve, in Moo 1, Rawai.
According to the Mueang District Office, officers found three people clearing and occupying the land by installing concrete posts and stringing ropes to divide the property into separate plots.
All three were arrested at the scene and handed over to investigators at Chalong Police Station for legal action.
Authorities said the suspects face charges under the Land Code for unlawfully entering and occupying state land and damaging natural resources without permission, as well as offences under the Forestry Act for clearing and occupying forest land without authorisation.
Officials did not identify the suspects.
The latest arrests come just over two months after authorities confirmed that criminal proceedings had already begun against suspects linked to earlier encroachment on the same protected area.
As reported by The Phuket News in April, officials found that rocks and soil had been used to level protected land to create an access road, with heavy machinery operating within the Khao Daeng Protected Forest Area adjacent to private land.
At the time, Chalong Police Chief Pol Col Surasak Jaidee confirmed that Rawai Municipality had filed a complaint over the encroachment and that charges had already been laid, although police declined to identify those involved.
Officials also ordered those responsible to remove all rocks, machinery and other structures and restore the land to its original condition.
The dispute over Khao Daeng has become one of Phuket’s highest-profile public land protection cases.
The issue gained widespread attention in November last year when Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee called on provincial authorities to urgently investigate allegations that protected forest land near Laem Phromthep was being prepared for private development.
Following inspections, officials confirmed evidence of encroachment, while Rawai Municipality ordered construction work halted and pledged legal action against those responsible.
Mr Chalermpong had alleged that a major private company was attempting to push ahead with development in the area and urged authorities to ensure those responsible faced prosecution. He also called for wider inspections of protected forest and grazing reserve land across Phuket to prevent further illegal occupation.
In announcing the arrests on Thursday, Mueang District Office said enforcement against encroachment on public land and forest areas would continue under the governor’s directive.
Officials warned that inspections would be carried out continuously and that anyone found illegally occupying protected land would face prosecution.