As last year at the same time, with the high season approaching, the Ministry of the Interior is ordering Surat Thani authorities to crack down on unlicensed hotels and nominee arrangements. Should we expect a series of raids?
In an urgent letter addressed to the governor of Surat Thani province, the Department of Provincial Administration of the Ministry of the Interior is asking district chiefs to strictly enforce legislation relating to hotel establishments operating without authorisation.
The document particularly stresses the need to carry out thorough investigations using all available sources of information. The authorities must notably check advertisements and bookings made via all digital platforms, a point frequently highlighted during previous operations.
The tone is particularly firm: if the Department’s special intervention units are forced to intervene themselves in a district, the Ministry reserves the right to examine any failings by the local officials responsible.
« If the Department of Provincial Administration’s special operations units have to enforce the law against operators of unauthorised hotels in any district, the Department and the Ministry of the Interior may examine the failings of the state agents responsible for this mission. »
See also : Koh Samui and Koh Phangan: Tourism Professionals Call for Zero Tolerance Against Local Mafias
This directive comes in an already tense context on the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, where undeclared establishments and structures suspected of nominee arrangements remain numerous. Last year, at the same time, similar operations led to a series of checks and closures.
Source: Provincial Administration (กระทรวงมหาดไทย / กรมการปกครอง)