PHUKET, Thailand – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said during his visit to Bang Tao Beach in Phuket province on May 10 that the government would intensify enforcement efforts against long-running public land encroachment and illegal activity along the beachfront.
Anutin said authorities had received reports that residents were being threatened and intimidated by criminal groups linked to encroachment disputes in the area. He warned that the government would not tolerate intimidation, harassment, property damage, or violence against residents, while cautioning that officials who fail to carry out their duties could face removal from their positions.
The prime minister also appointed Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasit to coordinate efforts to resolve the Bang Tao Beach case alongside the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and local administrative agencies. Authorities were instructed to continue legal enforcement while ensuring that residents can pursue lawful livelihoods under existing legal frameworks.
Anutin said the government plans to develop a “Bang Tao Sandbox” model to address similar public land encroachment and tourism management problems in other parts of the country. (NNT)
