Deputy ministers in Phuket press extortion probe and foreign-linked land crackdown
Authorities in Phuket are investigating alleged extortion and land disputes in Patong as deputy interior ministers also order scrutiny of more than 200 foreign-linked companies suspected of illegally holding land on the island.
Thai authorities in Phuket are continuing investigations into alleged extortion and land disputes in Patong while Deputy Interior Ministers Polapee Suwunchwee and Worasit Liangprasit push a broader review of business regulations and suspected illegal land holdings on the island.
Officials from the Phuket Damrongdhama Centre, the Department of Provincial Administration, Patong Police, Patong Municipality, the Phuket Provincial Land Office and other agencies inspected a disputed site on June 17 after complaints were submitted to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The inspection was led by Naphat Em-on, an inspector general with the Department of Provincial Administration who is serving as acting Phuket provincial palad.
Phuket Damrongdhama Centre Director Monchai Saeleow said the visit was intended to gather information and verify facts from all sides. He said it was too early to conclude whether the complaints were substantiated, including allegations involving influential figures or mafia groups, because such findings required clear evidence.
Monchai said some land ownership disputes had already been resolved, while others remained under investigation because boundaries had not yet been clearly established. The Phuket Provincial Land Office has advised complainants to arrange official land surveys before legal proceedings continue.
Patong Police Superintendent Pol Col Korakrit Khanthakrue said police had received reports of two separate land disputes in March and May involving allegations that three businesses had encroached on neighbouring land. He said investigators were waiting for official land survey results before deciding whether any offences had been committed.
Police are also investigating allegations that business operators were subjected to extortion. Korakrit said investigators were collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses, including several foreign nationals. No charges had been filed and no arrests had been made, he said.
Provincial officials said they would continue monitoring the case and coordinating with relevant agencies to keep the investigation transparent and maintain confidence among residents and business operators.
The inspections coincided with a visit to Patong on June 17 by Polapee and Worasit, who met business operators and toured Bangla Road in civilian clothes. Worasit said the government wanted to create a business environment where operators could work without exploitation while still complying with the law.
He said some laws and ministerial regulations affecting businesses in Phuket had not been updated for more than a decade and no longer reflected current economic conditions. He said the aim was to update outdated rules, improve transparency and make legal compliance easier for businesses.
On June 18, Polapee said more than 200 foreign-linked companies suspected of illegally holding land in Phuket were under investigation. Speaking after a meeting with provincial officials at Phuket Provincial Hall, he said the Department of Lands had been ordered to coordinate with provincial authorities to pursue criminal and civil action against companies found to be illegally holding land.
According to Polapee, the companies were identified through Ministry of Commerce records and investigators are now examining the nature of their land holdings. He said the Department of Lands had also been instructed to re-examine land boundary markers and title documents for beaches and other areas inspected by the ministers.
The ministry is also coordinating with the Department of Forestry to survey Phuket and nearby tourist provinces for forest encroachment and the illegal issuance of land rights documents, with findings to be submitted to the Interior Ministry.
Polapee said authorities were also reviewing zoning rules, licensing regulations and taxation concerns raised by operators in Patong's Walking Street area, where both legal and illegal businesses had been identified. He said a business assistance clinic had been set up at the Mueang Phuket District Office to support entrepreneurs seeking to operate legally.
He said the government's priority was to address Phuket's wider challenges, including preparing businesses for the low season, improving environmental management and strengthening the tourism economy, while ensuring investigations proceed according to law.
