Sai Yok Floatel, built on a scenic river in Sai Yok, announced it would remove all its floating structures since they trespass on a national park.
The popular and highly-rated hotel, located on a forested curve of the Kwae Noi River in the Sai Yok district, started hauling away its floating rooms, piers and other structures to an undisclosed location.
The decision comes after Sai Yok National Park ordered it to remove them within 30 days from August 6.
Park officials issued a demolition order after obtaining a ruling from the Central Administrative Court, saying that the hotel trespassed on the national park.
They ordered the 20-million-baht resort’s removal and resort owner Wasant Sodsai did not appeal the sentence.
After its opening in 1995, with facilities floating on the river, the complex became an attraction for local holidaymakers and foreign tourists.
On Thursday, Wasant said the hotel would remove nearly all its structures before the deadline, returning the site to the park.
On August 6, Sai Yok Floatel posted a message on Facebook announcing its closure and thanking all of its former guests for their support.
Niphon Chamnongsirisak, chief of Protected Area Regional Office, which supervises the park, conducted an on-site inspection Thursday.
He stated that officials would take action against other resorts encroaching on and damaging Sai Yok or other national parks.
However, prosecutors had decided not to take them to court, as happened with Sai Yok Floatel.
Previously, the park had filed criminal charges against Wasant with the police. However, prosecutors in Kanchanaburi dismissed the lawsuit.
In August 2018, they accepted that Sai Yok Floatel had no intention of encroach on public lands.
