Prime minister visits Phuket beach to lead crackdown on land encroachment

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited Bang Tao Beach in Thalang on May 10 to oversee a Phuket crackdown on illegal encroachment of public land. He said the government would restore order at the beach and warned that no mafia or influential figures would be allowed to control the area.

Anutin said authorities would move against people or groups unlawfully occupying or leasing public land for commercial use, including restaurants and unauthorized structures. He said those acts violate both criminal and civil law.

Government weighs legal action and new beach management model

The prime minister said officials would pursue legal measures against people who exploit state land or mislead others into signing fraudulent rental agreements. He also acknowledged that some entrepreneurs and residents may have entered lease deals in good faith.

He said the government would look for ways to help affected people continue earning a living within the law and without damaging natural resources. That approach, he said, must be balanced with firm enforcement.

Anutin also said the government is studying new management options for Bang Tao Beach, including a cooperative model involving central agencies such as the Royal Forest Department and local administrative organizations. He said that structure could allow legitimate community business activity while protecting public access and preventing monopolization of natural spaces.

Deputy interior ministers and other agencies have been told to urgently draft solutions, while forestry officials, local administrators and police were ordered to maintain continuous oversight of Bang Tao Beach.

Source: https://thephuketexpress.com/2026/05/10/prime-minister-visits-phuket-for-crackdown-on-beach-encroachment/