Demolition day announced for buildings on Phuket beaches

PHUKET: Local authorities have today announced a final deadline for businesses encroaching on public land at Surin, Lay Pang and Layan beaches, informing business owners that they have to demolish all illegal buildings by next month.

“We have decided, once and for all, to demolish the premises of private businesses encroaching on public land at all three ot these Phuket beaches. The deadline for tearing down these buildings is April 20 for Surin Beach, and April 27 for Lay Pang and Layan Beaches,” Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat told the Phuket Gazette after a closed-door meeting with beach management officials today.

“Starting tomorrow, we will issue letters to each business owner to inform them that they must vacate the premises by the stated deadline. On that date, the buildings will be demolished regardless of whether operations have been shut down or not.”

In October last year, Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada announced January as the final demolition deadline (story here), only to announce later that the paperwork necessary to finalize the procedure was taking longer than expected (story here).

“The owners have been adequately warned,” V/Gov Chokdee said. “We are now determined to restore these beaches to their original pristine state.”

— Kongleaphy Keam