Resorts and "mushroom" restaurant seized as top brass descend on Koh Phangan encroachment

[webfact]

Resorts and "mushroom" restaurant seized as top brass descend on Koh Phangan encroachment

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The deputy chief of the national Thai police led a huge delegation of officials to holiday island Koh Phangan yesterday to seize three resorts and a restaurant as part of the government's action against illegal encroachment on forestry and public land.

 

Police General Sriwara Rangsipromnakul led the way with regional police, Surath Thani governor Wichawut Jinto and military men in the party.

 

Following a meeting they went on a tour of inspection. On Koh Pangan there are 19 disputed sites four of which have been deemed so far to have been illegally using public land.

 

Surveys on the ground and by helicopter have given the authorities enough evidence to prosecute in four cases.

 

They belong to a well known and influential "kamnan" or village chief on the island. He was not named in the Thai Rath story.

 

Seized were three resorts and a restaurant. These were: the Big Chill resort where there are 9 bungalows on four rai of land. Lighthouse Resort where there are twelve bungalows. Rin Beach Resort with 18 bungalows.

 

The restaurant is the Mellow Mountains Bar that Thai Rath said was raided for serving magic mushroom smoothies earlier.

 

Officials said that the other 15 plots are under investigation.

 

In total there are 48 places under investigation on Phangan and Koh Samui.

 

It is part of the government's policy to rein in those who have illegally used public land for profit.

 

Ordinances and laws that have been contravened include those that date back to the 1940s regarding land use and harbor landing rights.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-02-06

[daoyai]

Koh Tao next I hope ... so much beach encroachment there.

[lovelomsak]

I was lucky enough to be witness to a shut down of a business (business's) of one man in Pitsanulok 20 years ago.

 It was humourous in a sadistic way.

  I was invited the night before well having dinner with a high up retired major.I was introduced to the woman who would be a form of mediator. 

 It went like this 4 policemen from Bangkok sat at the table . The owners brother  represented his brother because he had gone into hiding. was across from the police. The mediator sat at the side of the table.

  The police would say something the woman would ask the brother to acknowledge what was said. The brother was sitting there nodding his head in agreement to everything.This was held in the evening and the brother was sweating so much his face was dripping and his shirt was soaked he was scared shitless.I saw humour in it but in hindsight it was a very tense time for some.

  Every thing got setlled and the brother lost it all and came out of hiding in a few weeks. The properties then sat vacant for years.

[crazykopite]

From what I believe the island of Koh Tao is all government land  yet over the past 10 years there has been so much building work I am surprised that the island has not been raided by the land department . 

[thenewgoo]

Sounds to me like there are some more lucrative beach encroachments to be moved in. 

[webfact]

Taskforces arrest Koh Pha-ngan resort, restaurant owners in ongoing joint operation to tackle forest encroachment

By The Nation

 

 

Resorts and restaurants in at least seven locations scattered around the popular tourist island of Koh Pha-ngan in Surat Thani province were found to have encroached upon forest reserves and Thansadet National Park, while 12 others have land documents suspected by the authorities of being forgeries.

 

This is according to a report by the integrated forces of the Forest Protecting Operation Centre (FPOC) and the Royal Thai Police, who have made several arrests.

 

The exposure of such illegal forest encroachment is a result of the work carried out by the joint forces following the junta’s order 13/2559 to suppress influential figures and their acts deemed to pose threats to national security.

 

Led by deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Ransribramanakul, the FPOC’s director, Athapol Charoenshunsa – also deputy chief of the Forestry Department – and the centre’s taskforce, Phayak Prai, the forces on Monday inspected 19 locations on Koh Pha-ngan, from flat areas to the rocky hilltops, and confirmed their suspicions about the illegal acts.

 

According to a report prepared by the taskforce’s chief, Cheewapap Cheewatham, the forces were informed about the encroachments by a local who had petitioned Prime Minister genral Prayut Chan-o-cha, who then ordered a swift inspection of the reported locations on Pha-ngan island and nearby Koh Samui.

 

The FPOC first conducted an aerial inspection flying over the island, before verifying its findings with the Pitak Prai encroachment-tracking mobile application.

 

Ground checks were then conducted during the week of January 4, and last week, before the forces went to inspect the sites and make arrests.

 

Of the seven sites found to have violated encroachment laws, at least three resorts and a bar –Rin Beach Resort, Big Chill Resort, Lighthouse Resort and Mellow Mountains Bar – were found to have encroached upon the forests or had no documents to prove their land ownership.

 

The remaining three were mostly found to have cleared the land in preparation for construction.

 

The total area seized is around 52 rai (8.3 hectares).

 

The other 12 locations, with the largest plot of 64 rai, will be subject to further investigation into land ownership and documents, as the documentation is suspected of having been forged.

 

Cheewapap pointed out that those arrested would be charged for illegally encroaching upon the forests, violating the 1941 Forest Act, as well as building properties over waterways without permission.

 

On Koh Samui, meanwhile, the integrated forces found at least 48 locations deemed to have encroached upon the forests. 

 

They will spend another 30 days inspecting them.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30338143

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-07

[huberthammer]

What will happen with the buildings? Probably ending as more derelict buildings which "pollute" the countryside

[farcanell]

6 hours ago, huberthammer said:

What will happen with the buildings? Probably ending as more derelict buildings which "pollute" the countryside

Police retreat accommodation.

[smedly]

anything owned by police or army will be left alone just like walking street pattaya

[FitnessHealthTravel]

50 minutes ago, smedly said:

anything owned by police or army will be left alone just like walking street pattaya

It's about Forest land (Crown Land) encroachment or didn't you read the article. phew!!!

[Golden Triangle]

This is the kind of thing that gets the thumbs up from me, ^^^^^^ smedly is referring to the structures that have been illegally built over the ocean, they should all be torn down and the area refurbished for the public good. 

[alt]

I stayed at one of those Bungalow's at Bin Beach Resort. I got the feeling they 'weren't supposed to be there'.

 

There was a real tense feeling all the time while I stayed there, people often telling me it's 'mafia' owned.

[Sir Dude]

Well, who would have thought that law enforcement was possible on the mafia islands. 

[Airbagwill]

Good to see this happening, but one hopes it isn't politically biased or motivated.

the problem of graft and corruption has led to many Thai places of natural beauty being blighted by unlicensed/illegal developers whose work not only destroys what we can see but then polluted the surrounding areas with their waste and drainage.

 

After the demolition and the mess created, follows the swirl of graft, money exchanges and negotiations to see who gets control of the land. 

Those who are charged with protecting Thailand's natural resources are underfunded to the point where they can't effectively operate - of course, this may suit some of the more influential people in the nation who will benefit more from unrestricted developments rather than get hampered by authorities with real power.