Phuket Governor warns illegal hotels ‘to be demolished
The Phuket News
Yutthawat Lekmak
24 January 2017
Phuket Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan today warned operators who
illegally rent out properties for periods of less than 30 days that
their properties 'would be demolished' if they continued to ignore the
order to register as hotels.
Speaking at his Meet The Press conference at Provincial Hall this
morning (Jan 24), Gov Chockchai confirmed that an investigative
provincial committee had identified 860 venues across the island that
were currently operating illegally as hotels.
“Officials found 1,367 venues actually operating as hotels in Phuket.
Of those, only 507 had registered themselves as hotels,” he said.
Of the 297 hotels officials found in Muang District, which includes in
Phuket Town, Kata-Karon, Wichit, Chalong, Rawai and Nai Harn, only 177
were registered.
Likewise, in Kathu District, which includes Patong, only 236 of the 833
hotels officials found were registered, and in Thalang only 94 of the
237 hotels officials found had registered, Gov Chockchai explained.
The stern warning today follows Gov Chockchai repeating his warning for
all operators providing short-term rentals to register within the Jan
31 amnesty.
they will face legal action
“If any of the hotel operators don’t follow the provincial notice
within the deadline, they will face legal action,” he repeated again
today.
However, he added that after that, official action could take on permanent consequences.
“All illegal hotels will be demolished,” Gov Chockchai said.
The deadline to register properties as hotels follows the Ministry of
Interior on August 19 issuing a new regulation to make it easier for
more property owners – especially condo owners – to obtain a hotel license.
The regulation – called the Ministerial Regulation Prescribing
Descriptions of Other Types of Building Used for a Hotel Business
Operation 2016 under the Building Control Act (1979) – will remain in
effect for five years.
However, it applies only to buildings that existed before it came into
force and whose owners desire to use the property as “Hotel” as defined
by the Hotel Act.
Comments
Kurt 25 January 2017
The first 100 days of this Governor on Phuket are already over. What,
so far, has this governor implemented, changed for the better on Phuket
Island?
bustermanidogs 25 January 2017
Wow, looks like another dictator has landed in Phuket. The governor
cannot make up new laws and demolish peoples businesses like this. Why
is it that this governor acts tough on all the small businesses but
leaves the really dangerous issues alone?
Why has he not acted against the jet ski mafia? Why has he not acted
against the illegaly registered visa run minivans? Why has he not acted
against the taxi mafia overcharging? Why does he not threaten to
demolish their minivans or jet ski's?
I think we all know the reason why, scared or corrupt? This Phuket
governor is just one in a long line of governors who can not do the
right thing and just uses soft targets for his propaganda campaign. He
is not qualified to make a decision to destroy people businesses and
livelihood over which the law already says is a finable offense.
Another question comes to mind about who may be behind this? Maybe the
big hotel conglomerate have a hand in this, with certain hands 'held
out' to receive their thanks?
eric dekegel | 24 January 2017
Always a lot of words but no action, just take the list from Airbnb
from A to Z and you are busy for two years at least. But another
problem he seems to forget is the taxi scam at the airport. We had this
week in three days, two cases, a Chinese-Malay couple and a Chinese
family overcharged by the two different companies operating at the
airport.
The fee to our B&B (who is registered) is 700 baht and they charged
respectively 1,200 baht and 1,300 baht. This is disgusting me, we
complained them, one bring back the 500 baht the same day the other one
seems to play around and said today now its tomorrow. If they not come
I will personally go to the airport and make a complaint with the AOT
Phuket.
These people seems to be forgotten that they just go on business as
usual and give a bad reputation to our island! No checks anymore.
Where is the navy? Being busy disturbing tourists who want sun,
umbrella and sun lounge, but if all go on like that we will not need
any equipment anymore as nobody will come anymore! If next time it
happens again I will contact the newspaper and let them come to
interview the guests.
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