Phuket extends hotel licence application deadline to July 10, 2026
Phuket hotel operators have until July 10, 2026 to apply for licences through a special Interior Ministry advisory clinic set up to help businesses comply with hotel regulations.
The Ministry of Interior has extended the deadline for hotel operators in Phuket to submit licence applications through a special advisory clinic until July 10, 2026, Deputy Interior Minister Gen Polapee Suwunchwee said.
Gen Polapee announced the extension after the launch of the ministry’s “Clinic for Giving Advice and Solving Problems” at the Royal Phuket City Hotel. Set up in cooperation with Phuket authorities, the clinic provides legal advice, helps operators with licence applications and acts as a complaints centre aimed at supporting compliance with hotel and entertainment venue regulations.
He said the extension was meant to give operators who had not yet applied another chance to legalise their businesses. He described the move as urgent and urged operators to enter the legal system quickly, while warning them not to trust people claiming they could secure licences or other benefits.
Gen Polapee said officials from central government agencies would continue providing direct assistance throughout the extended programme. He also said authorities would keep investigating foreign investors using Thai nominees to illegally operate hotels or occupy land.
The ministry is also gathering feedback on legal obstacles faced by operators, with a working group assigned to propose amendments to hotel and entertainment venue laws to better reflect current economic and tourism conditions, he said.
The extension follows the launch of the initiative on June 30, when Phuket officials described the programme as a last chance for hundreds of small hotels to resolve long-running licensing problems. At the opening, Phuket Vice Governor Romdon Hayiawae said the programme was intended to help businesses comply with the law rather than target them for prosecution.
Officials have estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 small accommodation businesses operate across Phuket, with many unable to obtain hotel licences because of conflicts between building control, planning, environmental and other regulations. Authorities hope information gathered through the consultation programme will support legal reforms and advance the proposed Phuket Place-Stay Sandbox initiative, aimed at creating a legal pathway for smaller accommodation providers.
Meanwhile, inspections of licensed accommodation providers are continuing. On Friday, an inspection team led by Vice Governor Romdon and officials from the Mueang Phuket District Office visited the Pullman Phuket Arcadia Karon Beach Resort as part of the hotel’s licence renewal process. Officials said the checks covered safety systems, hygiene standards and building structure to ensure compliance and support confidence among domestic and international tourists.
