Phuket mafia seize beaches for profit, backed by investors and political networks; legal loopholes and complicit officials in the bureaucracy facilitate this.
The Phuket mafia has resurfaced in the news, with the ongoing issue of land occupation in Phuket Province persisting for a long time. The main cause is the encroachment on public land and protected forests by groups of investors and influential figures. Coupled with the expansion of the real estate sector and capital generated locally, this has led to the displacement of locals and placed heavy pressure on government agencies to enforce laws to reclaim forests and public beaches.
Thairath Online's special reporting team spoke with a source from a local government agency who revealed that Phuket's mafia may not be violent offenders but mostly consist of “influential figures with strong connections and deep pockets” who encroach on public areas. Most are Thai investors, both local and from outside the area.
The areas most heavily encroached upon are public beaches lacking clear ownership documentation, such as Nui Beach and Freedom Beach, managed by the forestry department. Investors exploit legal loopholes to build structures, open restaurants, and charge entrance fees for personal gain. Some areas have been occupied and utilized for extended periods, changing hands multiple times through verbal agreements between locals and investors, without official land titles.
“To wield power in these areas, connections are necessary to carry out such operations. Without the involvement of state officials and political groups, it would be impossible,” the source said, adding that many similar places have been occupied quietly because they are not major tourist sites.
The same source offered an insightful view that internal conflicts among senior officials directly impact land management, as power struggles have existed among these individuals even before assuming their local posts.
This overlapping conflict of interest aligns with recent administrative moves. The Prime Minister has visited Phuket multiple times to monitor progress on social and tourism regulation, issuing orders to decisively eradicate mafias and those behind public land encroachment.
Most recently, on 15 June 2026, the Ministry of Interior ordered the transfer of several top-level administrative officials, including the Phuket governor and two deputy governors, effective 16 June 2026. Rumors suggest these transfers aim to resolve internal disputes and clear the way to purge land-grabbing mafias in line with the Prime Minister’s policies.
Ultimately, the insider emphasized that the only solution to stop the appropriation of Phuket’s national assets is to strictly enforce the law.
“I believe that if laws are enforced seriously and straightforwardly against local influential figures, without favoritism, this issue can be resolved,” the source concluded.