Assistant minister leads Freedom Beach land encroachment inspection in Phuket
Assistant minister leads Freedom Beach land encroachment inspection in Phuket — confirmed details at this stage for Phuket readers.
A team led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Nanchat Supamongkol inspected Freedom Beach in Phuket on May 12 as part of a government operation targeting a long-running land encroachment case.
The visit followed orders from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to reclaim occupied public land and restore access to the beach.
Anutin had been due to inspect Freedom Beach himself but canceled the visit because of urgent duties requiring travel to Ranong Province. He instead went to Bang Tao Beach in Thalang District, where he oversaw enforcement against illegal encroachment along the coast.
Investigation centers on decade-long control dispute
The Freedom Beach case has persisted for more than a decade and, officials said, involves disputed land rights and suspected document fraud. The inspection was coordinated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Phuket Provincial Governor’s Office, the Provincial Land Reform Office, the Phuket Forest Center, ISOC and local administrative agencies.
Investigators said the pattern of encroachment dates back to 2015. Caretakers initially managed the land for the original owner, but after the owner died and officials linked to fraudulent land documentation were prosecuted, the caretakers allegedly took control themselves.
Officials cite access fees and falsified records
Authorities said the group then expanded its claims with support from influential figures. Investigators found that public footpaths across steep terrain had been blocked and visitors were charged 200-300 baht to enter under what was described as a “maintenance fee.”
Officials also uncovered attempts to insert falsified land documents into official databases. Pol. Maj.
Gen. Nanchat said the government had ordered delayed cases to be accelerated and offenders pursued without compromise.
The Freedom Beach action follows earlier enforcement in Phuket’s Nakkerd Hills, where officials found encroachment on more than 57 rai of forest reserve land. That investigation led to 23 criminal cases under the Forest Act and the National Reserved Forest Act.
Source: https://thephuketexpress.com/2026/05/12/assistant-minister-inspects-on-longstanding-land-encroachment-at-freedom-beach/
