SURAT THANI: Koh Samui Municipality demolished two luxury villas that were being constructed without permission on a hillside on Koh Samui after the owners failed to conduct the demolition themselves as per the municipality's order.
Koh Samui district chief Kampanat Klinsaowakon, head of the Fourth Army Region's land investigative unit Col Dusit Kaysornkaew, and several other officials on Thursday led a team in the operation to demolish both properties, which were located on the hilly land in tambon Bo Phut of Surat Thani's Koh Samui district.
Koh Samui Municipality carried out the demolitions after the agency found late last year that no permission had been given for the two villas to be constructed. In addition, the properties were being constructed on hillsides that were steeply over the legal limit of 50% of the total land.
The municipality previously ordered the villas' owners to halt the construction and demolish their properties before the deadline expired. However, they decided not to follow the order. The municipality then informed Bo Phut Police Station about the matter on Feb 27 and allowed the properties' owners an opportunity to appeal against the order.
However, Mr Kampanat said no appeal was made. As a result, the municipality exercised the administrative authority approved by Koh Samui mayor, Ramnet Jaikwang, to demolish the villas.
Natdanai Himtong, secretary to the mayor, said Mr Ramnet has been kind towards property owners in Koh Samui in recent times, having previously allowed them to make any necessary changes to their properties if they had been illegally constructed.