On October 21, 2024, Koh Samui officials were blocked from carrying out the demolition of 11 luxury villas in Moo 3, Maret, amid a legal dispute with the property owners. The villas, part of the Ariya Residence project, were ordered to be dismantled due to violations under the Building Control Act of 1979. Despite a 2019 demolition order requiring the removal of the structures within 90 days, compliance has not been met.
The operation, led by Koh Samui Mayor Ramnet Jaikang alongside legal officer Pallop Meepian and accompanied by police and environmental officials, aimed to execute the long-overdue directive. Follow-up notices issued in April 2024 failed to prompt action from the owners. However, when officials arrived at the site at 10 a.m., they encountered barricades marked “Private Property, No Entry.”
A lawyer representing the project intervened, informing the officials that a petition to annul the demolition order had been filed just days earlier. The legal team argued that procedural flaws marred the municipality’s actions, with plans to challenge the demolition through the administrative court. “We believe the municipality’s actions are not in line with the law, and we will pursue legal avenues,” the lawyer said, signaling the owners’ intent to contest the directive.
With their initial efforts thwarted, municipal officer Pallop filed an official report with Bo Phut Police Station to escalate the matter. Meanwhile, the Fourth Army Area Command emphasized the importance of following administrative processes, insisting that the villas must be dismantled as required by law.
The standoff on Koh Samui highlights the tension between municipal authority and property developers over compliance with building regulations. The outcome of this legal confrontation could serve as a precedent for similar cases across Thailand, potentially reshaping how local governments enforce construction laws.
