According to Phuket governor Chokchai Dejamornthan, a survey of the province in October found that there were 1,366 hotels operating without hotel licences, with more than half located in the Patong beach area.
Phuket province has given a deadline of January 31 for unlicensed hotels to go legal before starting to shut them down in February next year, the Bangkok Post reports.
According to Phuket governor Chokchai Dejamornthan, a survey of the province in October found that there were 1,366 hotels operating without hotel licences, with more than half located in the Patong beach area.
"They still have time to notify us that their hotels are illegally operated and show their intention that they are ready to go legal within January next year, otherwise we will shut down and prosecute them,” he said.
"Illegal hotels pay no tax. They have no security systems and no insurance is provided for guests. Many of them have insufficient parking spaces and use public areas for their guests' parking,” the governor added.