Illegal Cape Shark Villas shut down on Koh Tao Island”

A villa constructed without permission in Cape Shark Villas has been instructed to cease operations by local authorities on Koh Tao Island. An investigation is underway to check if other villas within the resort have conformed to obligatory construction permits.

The villa under investigation is strategically perched on a rocky ledge, providing direct access to the clear waters of the island’s southern coast. It belongs to Cape Shark Villas, an upscale resort that encompasses more than 30 pool villas on its hilltop estate.

Unfolding over 48 square metres and standing one storey tall, the villa—coined “hideaway villa”—came into the spotlight following an anonymous complaint that was submitted to the Facebook page of a provincial anti-corruption community. The complaint called into question the legality of the villa’s existence.

Witchawut Jinto, the governor of Surat Thani, stressed the fact that every part of the picturesque Koh Tao island is under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department. He urged all concerned entities to probe into the issue and determine if the hideaway villa was constructed with valid permission or if it even holds the legal right to exist as a resort in the first place.

Watcharin Fahsiriporn, who serves as the mayor of Koh Tao municipality, confirmed that initial inspections have revealed that the resort failed to acquire permission from the municipality before proceeding with the villa’s construction. An official from the municipality posted a notice on the villa’s door this week, issuing an instruction for its immediate shutdown.

Watcharin further mentioned that his team would be probing into the possibility of whether the construction of the entire resort was carried out without legal permission. Cape Shark Pool Villa Company, the proprietors of the resort, came into existence in May 2016 and holds a registered capital of six million baht (US$170,000)

In related news, an abbot of a temple in Chiang Mai is under scrutiny for alleged mismanagement of 200 million baht and the construction of an illegal shrine. To read more click HERE.