Assistant Minister Inspects on Longstanding Land Encroachment at Freedom Beach

Phuket—

A high-level inspection team led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Nanchat Supamongkol, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, has launched a decisive operation to reclaim Freedom Beach in Phuket from illegal occupation. The move follows direct orders from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who has instructed officials to take uncompromising action against land encroachment and restore public access to national assets.

Our previous stories:

Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul will lead a field mission to monitor land encroachment cases along Phuket’s coastline, showing the government’s commitment to protecting public beaches and enforcing environmental law.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited Bang Tao Beach in Thalang District today to oversee enforcement against illegal encroachment of public land. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring order and protecting public spaces, declaring that “there must be no mafia or influential figures” controlling the area.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has abruptly canceled his scheduled inspection of Freedom Beach in Phuket, citing urgent duties that required his immediate travel to Ranong Province.

Now for the update:

The inspection was carried out in coordination with Kantapan Pisansuksakul of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Phuket Provincial Governor’s Office, the Provincial Land Reform Office, the Phuket Forest Center, and security agencies including ISOC and local administrative authorities. Together, they investigated long-standing disputes over land rights at Freedom Beach, a case that has persisted for more than a decade.

Investigations revealed a complex pattern of encroachment dating back to 2015. Initially, caretakers managed the land on behalf of its original owner. However, after the owner’s death and subsequent prosecution of officials involved in fraudulent land documentation, the caretakers seized control themselves. They allegedly expanded their claims with the backing of influential figures, blocking public footpaths with steep terrain and charging tourists between 200–300 baht for access, under the guise of “maintenance fees.” Authorities also uncovered attempts to insert falsified land documents into official databases.

This operation builds on earlier enforcement actions in Phuket, where authorities discovered encroachment on more than 57 rai of forest reserve land in the Nakkerd Hills. That investigation resulted in 23 criminal cases under the Forest Act and National Reserved Forest Act, showing the scale of environmental damage in strategic natural areas.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Nanchat stated that the crackdown reflects the government’s firm stance: “Prime Minister Anutin has ordered close monitoring of this case, and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin has directed us to pursue offenders without compromise. We will ensure delayed cases are expedited and perpetrators face full legal consequences.”

Officials reaffirmed that the ultimate goal is to return Freedom Beach and surrounding forest reserves to the public domain, safeguarding them as national treasures for future generations.

Rela