The issue was discussed during the 4th meeting of the Expert Committee on Environmental Impact Assessment Report Consideration in Environmental Protection Areas for 2025, held at the Phuket Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office earlier this week.
The meeting was chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Samawit Suphanphai, alongside Surasak Anusorn, Director of the Phuket Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office (MNRE Phuket) and representatives from government agencies, the private sector and independent experts.
The committee requested further clarification and additional details regarding the Nebu Resort project’s “community engagement” process and environmental impact documentation before a final decision can be made.
Construction of the Nebu hotel, located in the Pasak Soi 6 area of Cherng Talay, was ordered to stop in February after local residents raised concerns over zoning violations, environmental risks, and a potentially flawed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
The project, which proposed a seven-story hotel in a low-density residential ‘Yellow Zone’, is now under official review.
A parliamentary committee, supported by local and national authorities, is investigating claims of improper approvals and lack of community consultation.
Officials has assured that no construction permits will be granted until the issue is fully resolved.
Other issues include the property being promoted as in Bang Tao, despite being located in Soi Pasak 6, and claiming that the propery is just nine minutes’ walk from the beach. Google Maps say the beach is nine minutes motorbike ride away, but nearly an hour’s walk on foot.
See also:
Too Much: Nebu resort in Cherng Talay faces stiff resistance
Phuket residents fight to stave off seven-story hotel in quiet street
Yellow Zone: Phuket Chief Town Planner pushes for bigger buildings in ‘low density’ areas
OTHER PROJECTS
During the session, the committee reviewed seven other residential and hotel projects that had passed initial field inspections. These included:
- Madeit Hotel project
- NC Kata Beach Hotel project
- Sugar Marina Hotel-POP-Kata-Beach project
- The Title Hotel Kata project
- Payla Cherng Talay Condominium Project Phase 1
- Payla Cherng Talay Condominium Project Phase 2
- Panya Beach Hotel Project on Naka Yai Island
In addition, the committee approved a request to cancel the EIA report for the Chatrium Hotel Surin Beach Phuket project, as the developer no longer intends to proceed.
The Veranda Suite Phuket condominium project also requested a change to its initial EIA registration, asking to split the project into two separate condominiums ‒ Veranda Suite Phuket 1 and Veranda Suite Phuket 2 ‒ due to the presence of privately-owned land dividing the site. The committee approved the change, as it did not affect environmental conditions.