UPDATING All Day, Every Day
WHITE BOX owner and Watermark brand CEO Roberto Ugolini said on Tuesday night that he would pursue the issue of the legality of his restaurant through the courts, defying an Army order to demolish parts of the building within seven days.
Original Report
PHUKET: The Army and Phuket authorities said today that the landmark White Box restaurant on a Phuket beach shorefront will be reduced to a single level within seven days, by agreement with the owner.
But when informed of that arrangement, the owner told Phuketwan by telephone from Bangkok: ''Bull****.''
Italian Roberto Ugolini said he finalised a deal to buy the premises just two months ago for 70 million baht and that he had done due diligence and he had all chanote land titles and permits for owning and operating the building.
During a two-year period under an MoU with the original owners, he thoroughly checked every facet of the legitimacy of the White Box, Mr Ugolini said.
A delegation of officials descended on the White Box, on the shores at Kalim, north of Patong, today and said they obtained the signature of a manager on a document. The manager said he would contact his boss.
But today, Mr Ugolini indicated that he would not reduce his property to a single storey because he had been very careful to obey the laws of Thailand at every turn.
He said he had bought the White Box from Englishmen Steve and Roger, and was very careful to check everything about the building, which went up in 2006 and became a favorite haunt for many Phuket expats and dignitaries from Bangkok.
Phuket authorities are also likely to encounter some objections from the operators of the popular beach clubs and restaurants along the shorefront of Surin beach that the authorities have now ruled must all be demolished within 60 days.
Today, Mr Ugolini agreed that a channel beside the restaurant that he had built over remained public land. He said he spent 500,000 baht covering the channel to clean up the area, but it remained a public place.
''When I requested it, Khun Pian [Keesin, former Mayor of Patong] approved it.''
The White Box rises up three stories but Mr Ugolini says the top floor is merely covered with fabric, not concrete, and is not a permanent fixture.
He said he discussed the third floor with local authorities and they accepted that the fabric cover was not a permanent fixture.
With 70 million baht riding on what happens next, Mr Ugolini does not seem likely to follow orders without a fight.
''I am not afraid,'' he said today.
When told of the apparent deal to demolish all except the ground floor, he repeated: ''Bull ****. There is no agreement.
''I have never met the general. I have never met the new mayor.
''The villa next to me is in a similar situation and if they cut us down, they will have to cut down the villa, too.''
Among officials at the White Box today were the Army's Major General Somchai Ponatong, who recently told all the island's police to apply 100 percent enforcement, Vice Admiral Petchartat Tienanjan, Kathu District Chief Saiyan Chanawong, and Patong Mayor Chalermlak Kebsub.
A smaller number of officials turned up at the White Box last week but there was no response to their knocks. It is believed Mr Ugolini was in Europe but is now on his way back to Phuket.
Restaurants and beach clubs all along Phuket's west coast have been demolished or ordered to close in the near future.
Patong, Surin, Kata, Karon, Kamala, Nai Yang, Nai Harn and other beaches will all look very different this coming high season after authorities banned sunbeds and umbrellas.
In other moves aimed at transforming Phuket from a troubled island to a tourism paradise, police and the Army have cracked down on extortion and intimidation among tuk-tuk and taxi drivers.
Reforms are to continue.
"He said he had bought the White Box from Englishmen Steve and Roger"
Along with some beans apparently.....
Posted by phonus on July 29, 2014 13:14