Foreign Tourists Asked to Leave Illegal Luxury Villas

[reader]

From Khaosod English

KOH SAMUI — A demolition order for 19 luxury villas from two major projects on Koh Samui has been ignored. Recent inspections have revealed that the operators continue to illegally rent out the villas to tourists on a daily and monthly basis, raking in hundreds of thousands of baht.

On September 18, more than 50 government officials from central and local authorities, led by Pol. Col. Dusit Kasornkaew, head of the Task Force to Resolve State Land Grabbing and Natural Resource Destruction, inspected luxury villa projects on hilltops in Lamai Subdistrict, Maret District (11 villas) and Khun Hmanang Mountain, Bo Phut Subdistrict (8 villas).

The inspection found a violation of the 2019 ban on the use of buildings under the Samui Municipal Control Act. A luxury villa in Lamai was found to be occupied by a tourist from Luxembourg.

When questioned, the Luxembourgish tourist stated that he had rented the luxury villa from a foreign owner under a six-month contract and had paid a monthly rent of 7,000 euro, the equivalent of 259,490 baht. The tourist emphasized that he did not know that the villa was illegal and could not be used. The authorities explained to him the legal situation and the reason for the eviction. The municipality will collect evidence to file a lawsuit against the villa owner.

At the second site in Khun Hmanang Mountain, Bo Phut Subdistrict, officials inspected eight villas and sealed them with red and white tape to prevent access. Despite the city government’s order to lock down the villas, they continued to be used.

One villa, a two-storey building without planning permission, was found to have already been completed and rented out. The second floor had been rented out to a cleaning company for 5,000 baht per month, while the second floor had been converted into rental rooms. A French citizen had rented one of the rooms for 20,000 baht per month for one year.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2024/09/19/foreign-tourists-asked-to-leave-illegal-luxury-villas-in-koh-samui/

 

[vinapu]

I feel sorry for renters to be put in this position  but rules are rules and  if those need to be demolished so be it. If heavy rains would cause collapse of villa built on the slope illegally it would be screaming ' who allowed it to be built there " immediately  

[bkkmfj2648]

Back when I lived in Rome, Italy - I hooked up with some other Italian gay guys who were renting illegally constructed houses that were on the hills outside of Itri - more towards the gay beaches of Gaeta.  We were able to get these great homes for such a cheap price for the entire summer beach season.  I remember that when we had to pay the rent, it was ONLY in cash at a coffee bar in downtown Itri with some mysterious Italian older man.

Often, I would see homes started - but not yet finished on these hills, and I would ask my friends - what happened?  Oh they did not pay the right money to the right person so the "authorities" stopped their construction mid-way.  But I replied, but you told me that the home that we are currently renting for the summer is also not sanctioned and not legal - they replied, why do you think that we need to drive 1 time each month over the dusty hillside roads down into Itri to have coffee with that guy??

Then I understood everything......

So, Italy prepared me well for the ways of Thailand  :>))

 

[PeterRS]

Illegal strutures are far from uncommon in Thaland, sadly. In Bangkok there was the famous case of the luxury Aetas Hotel in Soi Ruamrudee, the road that runs just behind All Seasons Place on Wittayu. In the late 2000s, a developer was given approval by the City governor and planning department to construct a twin tower hotel consisting of 18 and 24 stories on Ruamrudee. The problem was the permission was against the law. This states in that part of Bangkok a roadway must be at least 10 meters wide before a high rise building can be constructed at its side. Ruamrudee is at east a couple of meters less in width which limits building heights to 7 or 8 storeys.

By 2010 with the hotel complete residents in the soi complained to City Hall. Research showed the permits to have been illegally issued. In 2012 the owners were instructed to demolish the building. Two years later it was still accepting residents. In December that year the Supreme Administrative Court gave the Bangok City Government 60 days to ensure the hotel was demolished. Yet the verdict was not enforced and the hotel remained standing and doing business until 2017. No doubt by then the investors had begun to make their money back and were finally happy to obey the law they had flouted for many years. Did anyone go to jail? Was anyone fined? Joke! TIT

You'd think developers would have learned their lesson. Not when it comes to cash, they haven't. As reported earlier this month in Thailand Construction News, 13 high rise buildings in the city "violate costruction laws."

https://thailand-construction.com/thirteen-bangkok-high-rise-projects-violate-construction-laws/