More than 50 law enforcement officers yesterday raided a resort in Songkhla's Rattaphum district following a complaint that buildings had been constructed on a public canal.
Military and local administrative officers, along with volunteers, descended upon Wang Rae Resort in Moo 1 of tambon Khuanru after a civic network, called "Khuanru Community", complained that structures had been built on Klong Phumee, a public canal.
According to the network, the resort has been operating for 10 years. In September, various parties visited the resort and asked its owner to comply with the law, but to no avail, the group said.
The resort's owner had not sought permission either from Khuanru tambon administrative organisation or the Marine Department's Songkhla office, the group stated.
Officials yesterday found buildings allegedly encroached on the canal in four spots that covered 135 square metres in total.
During the raid, officers saw resort staff and workers dismantling the buildings and removing items out of the structures.
Another four buildings in the resort were also found to have encroached on public land.
Phanongsak Techawan, the resort owner, said he earlier believed the problem could be settled later, but when the officials confirmed he had to take the structures down, he promised to comply.
He insisted his resort will remain in service.
Meanwhile, a Trang land official and two accomplices have been arrested for alleged collusion in falsifying title deeds.
Crime Suppression Division police arrested land official Siriporn Boonchana at the Trang provincial land office. Her husband Prasit Sangthong, a member of Trang’s Koh Pia tambon administration organisation, was caught at Trang Hospital and another man, Sathaporn Ketmuang, was nabbed at his house in Muang district of Trang.
The trio was wanted on arrest warrants issued by the Criminal Court for colluding in fraud, falsifying official documents and using fake documents.
Several fake title deeds were also confiscated during the arrests, according to Pol Col Phumin Phumphanmuang, superintendent of CSD subdivision 5.
The arrests came after Wichian Khaopitakwong filed a complaint with police, accusing Ms Siriporn and the other suspects of falsifying title deeds for his land plots covering 95 rai in downtown Hua Hin.
