PHUKET: A famous five-star Phuket resort that is about to reopen under a new name has probably constructed an illegal bar on a public beach, investigating Phuket officials heard today.

Management at the Surin - formerly the Chedi, which sits alongside the exclusive Amanpuri on Phuket's ritziest cape, north of Phuket's Surin beach - will check the legality of a new beach bar with the Phuket Land Titles office . . . but only after the bar has been constructed.

A spokesperson for the Surin Phuket Resort, Vachira Jairak, admitted today that the beach bar had been built without certain knowledge of whether the bar encroached on public beach land or not.

Markers that formally delineated the property's border had been washed away during the 2004 Phuket tsunami, he said, and never replaced.

No check was made with the Phuket Land Titles Office before the reconstruction this year of the famous resort under its new name.

Locals complained that illegal encroachment had taken place, and today Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak and a group of officials looked over the new resort's beach frontage.

Phuket locals say that outdoor showers on the beach are illegal, too. They also complained that their path to the public Pansea beach had been made more difficult because of the reconstruction.

However, it was agreed today that they would be able to resume beach massages and kiosk food sales - provided they accepted the spots designated by the Surin Resort's management.

The Surin, with its 108 villas, is due to reopen on December 20. The renovated Phuket resort looks very appealing.

However, Phuket residents who wish to attempt to access the public Pansea beach may find it easier to approach from the sea.