Leading the inspection was Surasak Anusorn, Director of the Phuket Natural Resources and Environment Office, accompanied by officers from the Phuket Provincial Public Works and Town & Country Planning Office. Also present were Somkid Chokong and Watanapong Suksai, advisors to Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat.
The inspection was prompted by concerns raised by residents on social media, citing soil erosion from the construction site spilling onto nearby roads and posing future risks.
According to an official report, the inspection aimed to collect factual details to support potential legal action and forward the matter to relevant authorities. The report added that Karon Municipality would be contacted to verify whether the construction had received the required legal permits.
The site in question, located along Soi Patak 12, had previously drawn attention from Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee, who visited the area last Friday (Apr 18) after vegetation had been cleared, leading to rain-induced erosion.
“We inspected the area where water was flowing down Soi Patak 12, in Tambon Karon, with local headman Dr Winai Chitchiew,” MP Chalermpong said.
He identified the project as a capsule-style accommodation development currently under construction. Following heavy rainfall, sediment and sand washed down from the site, dirtying the road surface and causing concern among locals.
In response, construction was temporarily halted. Measures were put in place to reduce further erosion, including sandbags and coconut fiber mats to stabilize the soil. Water trucks were also deployed to clean the affected road.
While the project supervisor claimed that permission for the development had been requested, no documentation had been provided to back the claim, MP Chalermpong noted.
“The municipality and relevant agencies will now be asked to confirm the legality of the project. Further investigation will follow,” he said.