Illegal Builders Caught Encroaching On Sattahip Sea



Several business and home owners were arrested for constructing dwellings that encroached over the Sattahip shoreline and ocean areas.
One owner had already been warned and prosecuted three years ago, but continued to finish building his illegal complex, so he was arrested.


SATTAHIP – October 26, 2012 [PDN]: at 5:30 P.M., a surprise inspection of shoreline buildings unlawfully encroaching into the beach and ocean was conducted by government officials, under the direct order of Chonburi governor Mr. Komsan Ekachai.

The governor appointed a delegation to make the inspection, which included Mr. Phawat Lertmukda, Sattahip Sheriff; along with other Sattahip sheriffs Mr. Kritsana Usuk, Mr. Wanchart Warnprom, Mr. Chawat Teptup, and Mr. Thanawut Seetarlkaew.

Also joining the inspection raid were Mr. Suchart Janchum of the professional government authority; Mr. Rerkchai Wijitsettakul, the professional transporter authority of the harbor Pattaya provincial office as the agent of the harbor department; the operation government team of Sattahip district; and police from security guard box, Bangsare, Sattahip police station.


The first building inspected was a restaurant named Chalay Seafood, number 2/3 Moo 4, Bangsere,Sattahip.

The inspectors discovered that piers had been constructed in preparation for building a concrete bridge, intended to replace the old wooden bridge that had been decaying.

At the side of the restaurant, there were iron steel supports for the pouring of concrete, to prepare for expanding the restaurant further over the sea, which was against the law.

Documents identified the owner as Mr. Thanapat Khantiwattana, age 51, living at house number 132 Soi Charoen Krung 65, Sathorn Rd. Bangkok. The authorities informed the owner of the allegation of building intrusively into a public water resource without permission, and that he will be prosecuted under the law.



Then the arresting team came to the next resort, which was a complex of 8 finished buildings made from teak, located on the shoreline of Bangsare, moo 4, Bangsare, Sattahip.

Authorities found there were people already residing in the luxury resort homes, the Teakwood Seaside Luxury 8, Moo 4, Bang Bang Saray, Sattahip. The back of the complex was found to be encroaching on the shoreline.

From checking, authorities discovered that on August 21, 2009, the buildings then under construction had been inspected by the former sheriff, Mr. Chaicharn Lamcharern, in response to a complaint that the resort was encroaching onto the sea.

After discovering that the teak houses under construction were jutting out toward the sea, the sheriff commanded the owner to stop building.

He then notified the police to prosecute the complex owner, Mr. Kittipong Puangsombat, age 37, with a hometown address of house number 669/3, Bankhode, Muang, Chonburi.

Mr. Kittipong was charged with invasion of the ocean, which is public property, and building houses without permission. However, construction later had continued until the homes were finished, among criticism from passersby.



On the recent inspection, Mr. Kittipong, now age 40, living at the house number 1/1, moo 5, Bangsare, Sattahip, showed himself as the owner again. So the authorities arrested him and informed him of the accusation of invading a water resource without permission, and will prosecute him by law.

The inspection committee then went to check a luxury villa built with reinforced concrete on Bangsare beach. They found there was a bridge built over the sea extending about 50 meters, and at the end of the bridge was a Thai-style resort that had been built.

The structures’ owner was identified as Mrs. Sirikul Seaker , or Joi, age 36, living at the house number 44/4 moo 4, Bangsare, Sattahip. The authorities informed her of the accusation of constructing buildings invading a water resource without permission, and that she will be prosecuted.



The recent inspection raid resulted from a public complaint through the direct website of the Chonburi governor himself, Mr. Komsan Ekachai. So the governor commanded the sheriff to check for the illegal violations, said Mr. Krishna Usuk, the senior general secretary, the head of the checking team and the agent of the sheriff of Sattahip.

On the day of the surprise inspection raid, phones were seized from staff members to prevent the news from leaking out and giving advance warning to the violators.

Officials feared that too many people calling authorities to clarify the matter could cause chaos.

The accused suspects were sent to Pol. Lt. Col. Naret Boontee, the detective officer of the shift at Sattahip police station to prosecute by law.