Demolition begins of three illegal resorts in Koh Samet
Suriyan Panyawai
The Nation
Samet, Rayong


The officials from National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department have removed the door of the resorts which had been illegal built in the sea of Khao Leam Ya - Mu Ko Samet National Park.

RAYONG: -- The demolition of three big resorts, built illegally in the midst of the sea on Rayong's Koh Samet, was begun yesterday by the state environmental protection agency.

More than 500 national park officials were deployed to destroy the three resorts - Muk Samet, Unseen, and Ploy Samet - which had been built in the middle of the sea at the Khao Leam Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri, the ministry's permanent secretary Chote Trachu, deputy permanent secretary Wijarn Simachaya and Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) director-general Manopat Huamuangkaew yesterday led the mission to demolish the illegal resorts. The demolition is expected to finish within 30 days.

The move comes after the ministry's panel decided to take legal action against illegal construction in national parks. They passed a resolution on August 16, ordering officials to demolish these three resorts.

The demolition complied with legal procedure under the 1997 National Park Act's Article 22, which allows state officials to demolish illegal construction in national park areas.

Vichet said the ministry last year had instructed the owners of these three resorts to demolish the illegal constructions by themselves. Instead of following the ministry's order, they had filed an appeal to the Administrative Court to stay the demolition. But the court recently rejected the appeal of the resort owners, allowing the department to go ahead with its plan to demolish the illegal resorts.

"The owners of these three resorts must take responsibility for the expenditure incurred in the demolition," he said. Meanwhile, Manopat said his department would spend three years to rehabilitate the marine ecosystem, which had been damaged by the three resorts.

From now, he said, business owners who want to build a resort or other facilities in Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park or other national parks must seek permission from the DNP.

After demolition of these three illegal resorts, Manopat said the department would turn its attention to illegal resorts in Phuket's Sirinarth National Park.


-- The Nation 2013-08-26

well thats nice good they get rid of those illigal resorts but i wonder how long they had been in business by the looks of the posts in the sea not just a few years

and now the army is taking them apart for free ??

"hurry up boys, we can get this whole building put back together on my property before the sun goes down... "

As usual the big question for Koh Samet, Khao Yai and the like is how bid these illegal resorts managed to get built and operate in the first place ?

It would seem that for many a long year, especially in Khao Yai, parks officials were walking around with their eyes closed or could it be they were so distracted counting the contents of various brown envelopes ?

"hurry up boys, we can get this whole building put back together on my property before the sun goes down... "

Beat me to it...

Going by the picture I was about to say "And by demolished, you mean carefully dismantled"...

Well at least they're salvaging parts of it. Earlier depictions of resorts being taken down, showed the work of bulldozers - everything crushed and put in heaps to rot or be burned.

well thats nice good they get rid of those illigal resorts but i wonder how long they had been in business by the looks of the posts in the sea not just a few years

and now the army is taking them apart for free ??

If I remember a previous report correctly, the owners of the resorts had the option to demolish them themselves, or if the Army came in to do it, they would be charged for the time it takes.

and now the army is taking them apart for free ??

"More than 500 national park officials were deployed to destroy the three resorts"

"The owners of these three resorts must take responsibility for the expenditure incurred in the demolition,""

Now ,next the take down of the 5 star resorts please .The island is a national park remember .

OK, so these resorts were worn out already judging by the looks of it so now the army disassembles them for free so they can renew them later on, good work!

also, I wonder where the toilet pipes ended in these resorts built directly in the sea

Now ,next the take down of the 5 star resorts please .The island is a national park remember .

Oh come now. Please try to be realistic. 5-star resort equals 5-star payment. 5-star payment equals mai pen rai.

Why demolish? That will only further ruin the already recovering ecosystem that was damaged by the construction. How about just send in crews to survey the structural integrity of the resorts and resell to the highest bidder. WIN/WIN/WIN for everyone including the reefs, sealife.

well thats nice good they get rid of those illigal resorts but i wonder how long they had been in business by the looks of the posts in the sea not just a few years

and now the army is taking them apart for free ??

If I remember a previous report correctly, the owners of the resorts had the option to demolish them themselves, or if the Army came in to do it, they would be charged for the time it takes.

Point of order : those are not soldiers in the photo but the army's poor cousins, the Forestry Department rangers.

So bloody typical of the clowns that have office in this circus of a country. Apparently it will take 3 years to reestablish the marine eco system as a result of their construction, however, the PTP oil spill can be cleared up in 7 days,according to the experts at the ministry of tourism. The inmates are truly runing this institution.

Bring on the clowns..... Don't bother there here.

well thats nice good they get rid of those illigal resorts but i wonder how long they had been in business by the looks of the posts in the sea not just a few years

and now the army is taking them apart for free ??

If I remember a previous report correctly, the owners of the resorts had the option to demolish them themselves, or if the Army came in to do it, they would be charged for the time it takes.

Point of order : those are not soldiers in the photo but the army's poor cousins, the Forestry Department rangers.

Obviously my memory is not all it should be . . . if not the Army, then the Rangers I guess it was lol

I heard it was more of a personal issue that these 3 resorts were selected.

Don't forget that as these resorts are being dismantled, another greedy scuzzbucket somewhere in Thailand is building another resort in a national park where the focus has not yet fallen and the local palms are easily greased.

OK, so these resorts were worn out already judging by the looks of it so now the army disassembles them for free so they can renew them later on, good work! also, I wonder where the toilet pipes ended in these resorts built directly in the sea

Pipes? We don't need no stinking pipes. Gravity work very good in Thailand. Splash, splash.

Can't wait for them to start on Phi Phi.

"hurry up boys, we can get this whole building put back together on my property before the sun goes down... "

Beat me to it...

Going by the picture I was about to say "And by demolished, you mean carefully dismantled"...

In all fairness, the structures are built over water in a national park. What more destructive means of removal would not leave debris in the water?

OK, so these resorts were worn out already judging by the looks of it so now the army disassembles them for free so they can renew them later on, good work! also, I wonder where the toilet pipes ended in these resorts built directly in the sea

Pipes? We don't need no stinking pipes. Gravity work very good in Thailand. Splash, splash.

and if they do it right the netted off the whole bay and the fish in there they sell again , shitfish sir ?

Hmmmm good timing,oil slick,no guests, nows a good time, be back just in time when it all clears up again...

As everyone can see that these dwellings were only built in the last 2 months, so well spotted officials with quick action taken.

What a JOKE

I feel sorry for the people that are unaware of this going on and are currently booking and paying for a room so they can stay next month.

Wondering if they'll get charged and never see a refund...