Demolition begins of three illegal resorts in Koh Samet
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The demolition of three big resorts, built illegally in the midst of the sea on Rayong's Koh Samet, was begun yesterday by the state environmental protection agency.
More than 500 national park officials were deployed to destroy the three resorts – Muk Samet, Unseen, and Ploy Samet – which had been built in the middle of the sea at the Khao Leam Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri, the ministry’s permanent secretary Chote Trachu, deputy permanent secretary Wijarn Simachaya and Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) director-general Manopat Huamuangkaew yesterday led the mission to demolish the illegal resorts. The demolition is expected to finish within 30 days.
The move comes after the ministry’s panel decided to take legal action against illegal construction in national parks. They passed a resolution on August 16, ordering officials to demolish these three resorts.
The demolition complied with legal procedure under the 1997 National Park Act’s Article 22, which allows state officials to demolish illegal construction in national park areas.
Vichet said the ministry last year had instructed the owners of these three resorts to demolish the illegal constructions by themselves. Instead of following the ministry’s order, they had filed an appeal to the Administrative Court to stay the demolition. But the court recently rejected the appeal of the resort owners, allowing the department to go ahead with its plan to demolish the illegal resorts.
“The owners of these three resorts must take responsibility for the expenditure incurred in the demolition,” he said. Meanwhile, Manopat said his department would spend three years to rehabilitate the marine ecosystem, which had been damaged by the three resorts.
From now, he said, business owners who want to build a resort or other facilities in Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park or other national parks must seek permission from the DNP.
After demolition of these three illegal resorts, Manopat said the department would turn its attention to illegal resorts in Phuket’s Sirinarth National Park.
