Citing height restrictions and the positioning of the outdoor deck, they presented the manager with an order giving him seven days to reconstruct the building so that it complies with the rules.
V/Gov Jamroen told Phuket News TV, “Some areas [of the building] are right, some areas are wrong. They must be restructured to make it all right.”
Dr Roberto Ugolini, owner of the Watermark Group, which recently took possession of the White Box, was not amused.
“I have all the papers to show that I have done everything according to the law. Tomorrow I will take the Municipality to the court.
“I just covered the channel [with the deck] and I had a permit for this. I didn’t close this area. Anyone can go and sit out there [not just White Box customers]. For a long time there has been a sticker saying this is public land. Now they have told me to destroy it. It’s public area. How can I destroy it?”
Asked about the allegation that the building exceeds the height restriction of six metres, he said, “That’s not true. The third floor is a temporary structure made of plastic fabric. I can take it down in three hours.
“The two floors are less than six metres.”
Dr Ugolini bought the White Box business just 60 days ago. “I have renovated it but I have not changed the structure.
“We will take this case to court.” Asked if he would be making any of the alterations demanded, he said, “Zero. I have all the approvals from Mayor Pian [Keesin].”