Two luxury villas have been demolished on Koh Samui, after the properties were found to have been built illegally.
According to a Bangkok Post report, the villas were torn down by Koh Samui Municipality after the owners failed to demolish them as previously ordered. The demolition took place last Thursday, August 8, and was led by Kampanat Klinsaowakon, Koh Samui district chief.
The properties were built on hilly land in the sub-district of Bophut, with officials subsequently finding that no permission had been granted for the construction. The villas had also been built on significantly more than the legal limit of 50% of the total land.
The property owners were ordered to stop the ongoing construction work and were given a deadline by which they must demolish the villas. When that date came and went and the partially-constructed villas were still standing, officials took matters into their own hands.
The villa owners had also been given an opportunity to lodge an appeal against the demolition order, but failed to do so, according to Kampanat. Koh Samui mayor, Ramnet Jaikwang, then authorised Koh Samui Municipality to demolish the properties.
Natdanai Himtong, secretary to Mr Ramnet, points out that the mayor has previously been generous to Samui property owners, always giving them the opportunity to change any illegal aspects of their construction.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
