SURAT THANI: The owner of a small villa built illegally on a beach on Koh Tao in Koh Phangan district has agreed to its demolition.
The single-storey stone-faced concrete building covers 48 square metres and encroaches on a beach on Koh Tao. and is privately owned by a resort company.
The Hideaway Beachfront Villa was built on a rocks with direct access to the sea and belongs to Cape Shark Villas, a luxury resort with at least 30 pool villas on its hilltop property in the island's south.
It became controversial after the provincial anti-corruption Facebook page "STRONG" posted pictures of it following public questions about its legality, since the entire of island is state property under the supervision of the Treasury Department.
On Sunday, officials led by Yuthapol Angkinan, an adviser to the minister of natural resources and environment, went to the island for an on-the-spot inspection.
Mr Yuthapol was accompanied by Chewapap Chewatham, chief inspector of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Apichai Ekwanakul, deputy director-general of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Supachok Buathong, chief of the treasury office of Surat Thani, Vacharin Fasiriporn, the mayor of Tambon Koh Tao Municipality, and a representative of the resort company.
It was concluded that the company built the resort villa although it had not been allowed to rent the land from the Treasury Department; it was built without permission from Tambon Koh Tao Municipality; and, its construction on the beach could damage natural resources and the environment.
At a subsequent meeting, the company agreed to demolish the building in compliance with the law.