White Box restaurant targeted in Phuket beach 'clean-up'

[webfact]

White Box restaurant targeted in Phuket beach 'clean-up'
Alasdair Forbes


Beach cleaning committee meet outside The White Box

PHUKET: -- The White Box restaurant received a visit today (July 29) from the beach-cleaning committee, led by new Patong Mayor, Charlermluk Kebsap and Vice-Governor, Jamroen Tippayapongthada, accompanied as usual by men in camouflage uniforms.

Citing height restrictions and the positioning of the outdoor deck, they presented the manager with an order giving him seven days to reconstruct the building so that it complies with the rules.

V/Gov Jamroen told Phuket News TV, “Some areas [of the building] are right, some areas are wrong. They must be restructured to make it all right.”

Dr Roberto Ugolini, owner of the Watermark Group, which recently took possession of the White Box, was not amused.

“I have all the papers to show that I have done everything according to the law. Tomorrow I will take the Municipality to the court.

“I just covered the channel [with the deck] and I had a permit for this. I didn’t close this area. Anyone can go and sit out there [not just White Box customers]. For a long time there has been a sticker saying this is public land. Now they have told me to destroy it. It’s public area. How can I destroy it?”

Asked about the allegation that the building exceeds the height restriction of six metres, he said, “That’s not true. The third floor is a temporary structure made of plastic fabric. I can take it down in three hours.

“The two floors are less than six metres.”

Dr Ugolini bought the White Box business just 60 days ago. “I have renovated it but I have not changed the structure.

“We will take this case to court.” Asked if he would be making any of the alterations demanded, he said, “Zero. I have all the approvals from Mayor Pian [Keesin].”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/white-box-restaurant-targeted-in-phuket-beach-%E2%80%98clean-up%E2%80%99-47596.php


-- Phuket News 2014-07-30

[terryp]

never invest 1 baht in Thailand that you are not prepared to loose and walk away from

“We will take this case to court.” Asked if he would be making any of the alterations demanded, he said, “Zero. I have all the approvals from Mayor Pian [Keesin].”

Edited July 30, 2014 by terryp

[clockman]

Another reason not to do business in Thailand.

[KarenBravo]

never invest 1 baht in Thailand that you are not prepared to loose and walk away from

Did you think of that yourself?

[terryp]

never invest 1 baht in Thailand that you are not prepared to loose and walk away from

Did you think of that yourself?

No been there done it to my expense and stupidity, thanks for your input obviously you need to share? but what no one knows

[KarenBravo]

What has the mayor of Patong got to do with planning permission?

The owner doesn't have a leg to stand on. Surprised he doesn't know that.

The previous owners timing was impeccable.

[horsewell]

If it was just purchased 60 days ago it was very bad timing. If someone of the permits are suspect I'm sure it will come out now, unfortunately it's probably standard business practice that is now suspect. Hope the owner the best in court.

I never like businesses appropriating public land. Even if the first owner allows it for public use it there is always a slow creep where the business changes hands or over time the sense of ownership seems to grow. They may say anyone can sit there but I would like to see it on a busy day where the place is full.

Look at the street markets or even shops with things out front of their business, they just slowly creep and creep until you basically have to walk on the street to get anywhere. Even before the army came in there had been issues with sort of thing.

[casualbiker]

That top floor doesn't look like it's fabric it has concrete columns ..

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[shirtless]

It looks like this business is in for some hard times , i feel for the owner,

[Briggsy]

This criminal needs to be taken down, as do parts of the building. No more Phuket mafia.

[Oziex1]

So if you're planning to buy a business in Phuket right now just hang five, unless you have all the papers from the former mayor of Patong of course.

[kartman]

In 7 days time it needs a small firecracker type warning on the roof followed 60 seconds later by a ----------------------------------------

[Patje]

This is what happens if every bends the rules who were already bent after being changed to satisfy a slight change of plans .......

[Valentine]

I had a chuckle at the last sentence. Also the photo clearly shows concrete walls on the 3rd level, not only plastic. I do not believe any of those dwellings are legal as they are right on the rocks which are surely too close to the high tide mark.

[simon43]

This new owner seems to have received very bad legal advice. One of the most 'basic' of regulations about building projects in Phuket is that you cannot build right up to the high-water mark - there are zones with different restrictions.

This is 'schoolboy' stuff, not rocket science.

As to the owner fighting this in court - good luck with that!

[Confuscious]

Another (stupid fahrang) bites the dust ..... [Queen]

[Bernard Flint]

The property is not high, but the 3rd floor is temporary heheheheheh

He means until the law come, what a plonker

[Emster23]

"For a long time there has been a sticker saying this is public land. Now they have told me to destroy it. It’s public area. How can I destroy it?” This guy is debating team material for sure. How can I destroy it? hmmm backhoes, sledge hammers, the usual stuff. Do we need to draw you a diagram?

[Bulldozer Dawn]

And so, still not a SINGLE high dollar restaurant, hotel or beach club has had their hard infrastructure removed from the beaches. Just the poor people and their bamboo huts. The rich are trading on with impunity. What about Bliss at Bang Tao, or Pullman at Nai Thon. When are they getting demolished? If these developments owned by the rich are allowed to trade on, it will be a deal breaker between the Junta and the workaday folks of Phuket. There is a growing risk of civil unrest.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Bulldozer Dawn

[casualbiker]

And so, still not a SINGLE high dollar restaurant, hotel or beach club has had their hard infrastructure removed from the beaches. Just the poor people and their bamboo huts. The rich are trading on with impunity. What about Bliss at Bang Tao, or Pullman at Nai Thon. When are they getting demolished? If these developments owned by the rich are allowed to trade on, it will be a deal breaker between the Junta and the workaday folks of Phuket. There is a growing risk of civil unrest.

Well report the aforementioned establishments!

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[steelepulse]

>>>> I have all the approvals from Mayor Pian [Keesin].

This convicted person hasn't been the mayor for over a year since his voting fraud case, so how can he give permission if the purchase was just two months ago?

>>The third floor is a temporary structure made of plastic fabric. I can take it down in three hours.

This would set a bad and dangerous trend if "temporary" structures were allowed. Imagine an 8 storey "temporary" bamboo structure being put up for a "rustic" experience.

[Deli]

Once all pretty places on the beaches will be gone, also the tourists will be gone.

What else for shall they come to Phuket ?? For sitting on dirty sand and eating sandwiches from 7/11 ?

[KarenBravo]

Once all pretty places on the beaches will be gone, also the tourists will be gone.

What else for shall they come to Phuket ?? For sitting on dirty sand and eating sandwiches from 7/11 ?

Why do you think tourists first came to this island decades ago, when there were no businesses on the beach?

Could it have been for the unspoilt beaches?

[steelepulse]

>>“The two floors are less than six metres.”

I haven't been to this place, but is it really more than 20 metres from median high tide line as the law states that nothing can be built within 20 metres of the median high tide line?

[bkkjames]

>>“The two floors are less than six metres.”

I haven't been to this place, but is it really more than 20 metres from median high tide line as the law states that nothing can be built within 20 metres of the median high tide line?

thought it was 12 meters?

looks rather close to the road as well, no idea if that is allowed or not.

[Living in a cartoon]

I am not sympathetic to any of the parties. But will return to LOS soon, so my question is, when does the blowback hit?

The old saw is something like "Don't break my rice bowl".

Serious question, opinions?

[ikurauni]

I heard that the owner of this restaurant is notorious for screwing many people.The rumor says that many people are going after him.

[Oziex1]

I heard that the owner of this restaurant is notorious for screwing many people.The rumor says that many people are going after him.

Are you referring to the present owner or the former owner, who clearly screwed the present owner. Also if many are after him why is he still around?

[Thai at Heart]

I hope that the Junta hang around for years and years, if only to handle illegal buildings.

They could even just give back the govt to politicians but stay as a corruption watchdog. What a pleasure it is going to become watching them unravel these situations.

I wish this bloke luck in court. I doubt he is going to get very far.

[Oziex1]

I am not sympathetic to any of the parties. But will return to LOS soon, so my question is, when does the blowback hit?

The old saw is something like "Don't break my rice bowl".

Serious question, opinions?

The blowback hits when the terminally criminal and corrupt think they can take on the army, the disappearing will begin, or they will simply be detained until their case is never heard.