PHUKET: Raiders arrested six people and impounded trucks and a grader when they paid a surprise visit today to a piece of real estate being developed illegally above a popular Phuket beach.

The raid, led by the Director of Kathu District, Veera Kerdsirimongkol, appears to indicate that he at least is serious about clamping down on developers who breach the law.

Khun Veera led today's raid at 3pm and his team of 20 officials nabbed the people and trucks as they worked at levelling the steep property.

The three rai stretch of real estate, which has views over Phuket's west coast and hangs high above Phuket's popular Laem Singh beach, is in a five-star part of Phuket.

The site, with spectacular views, would be worth hundreds of millions of baht.

A resort would seem to be what the construction work is aimed towards. Graders have been spotted and trucks have been seen heading up the steep road but arrests at illegal sites are unusual on Phuket.

Earlier today a Phuketwan reader provided useful information in a comment on a previous report: ''This issue seems to have been 'resolved'- construction wagons headed up the hill again and about to ruin yet another Phuket vista.''

A letter from a local to the office of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra alleged collusion by local officials in allowing development in a protected area, and of a vital drainage canal being covered in.

Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak visited the site with local mayors - the property sits on the border between Cherng Talay and Kamala - in March.