Mud and done it! Phuket villa project sinks after landslide scandal
Locals kick up a storm as luxury build buried in row over runoff and rogue digging
A swanky Phuket villa project has been slapped with a construction ban after furious locals complained it was turning their neighbourhood into a mudbath.
The VIP Galaxy Villa development in Rawai was ordered to down tools earlier this month after a series of alleged planning breaches, including triggering mudslides onto public land.
The two-storey luxury pad project, built from reinforced concrete, was under fire after runoff from the site sent muck spilling into community areas in Moo 6.
Locals lodged complaints with officials, prompting Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee to send his team to inspect the site in Moo 2, Rawai on Monday, May 27.
In a social media post, Chalermpong confirmed the site had already been hit with a stop-work order by Rawai Municipality back on May 8, with the developer given 15 days to clean up the mess.
But instead of fixing the damage, the contractor filed a fresh construction permit application just two days before the MP’s visit, on May 23.
Officials say the suspension followed a string of serious violations, including digging more than 3 metres deep and reshaping over 10,000 square metres of land without notifying government officials.
Worse still, the developer reportedly raised the site higher than neighbouring plots without permission, risking flooding and further landslides in the rainy season.
Despite the breaches, there’s been no word yet on whether legal action will be taken, reported Phuket News.
The project drama comes as Thailand’s luxury villa market sees an unprecedented foreign gold rush.
Since the country reopened its borders in 2021, rich overseas investors have been snapping up long-term villa leases, particularly in hotspots like Phuket, Chon Buri, and Surat Thani.
According to housing expert Dr Wichai Wiratkaphan, leasehold contracts for single-family homes in Phuket surged by 90% between 2022 and 2023 – with investment value tripling in just a year.
“The trend is clear, foreign buyers are no longer just after condos. Villas offer both a lavish lifestyle and a smart investment,” said Dr Wichai.
And with Thailand’s villas still a bargain compared to international prices, the building boom shows no sign of slowing, as long as developers play by the rules.
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