Mai Khao Pool Villa Ordered to Halt Over Permits

Officials have ordered work to stop at a Mai Khao pool villa project in northern Phuket that lists actress and volunteer Panadda "Boom Panadda" Wongphudee as the applicant. The Mai Khao Subdistrict Administrative Organisation posted seven orders at the site because one building's permit had expired and a second building had no permit at all, Thairath English and Rawai.com reported on November 3.

The owner now has 30 days to file proper permit applications.

Seven orders posted at the gate

The project is in Ban Dan Yit, Moo 3, Mai Khao, in Thalang district. According to Rawai.com, the site was fenced and locked, so officials could not enter. Instead, they posted the notices, issued under the Building Control Act, at the project entrance. A notice was also sent by post to the applicant's address.

The orders fall into two groups:

• Building 1 (had a permit, now expired): four orders, covering the failure to renew the permit, a halt to construction, a ban on using or entering the building, and a demand to submit a proper permit application within 30 days.
• Building 2 (built without a permit): three orders, halting construction, banning use or entry, and requiring a permit application within 30 days.

Rawai.com said an inspection also found that work on the permitted building had not followed the approved plans.

What the original permit covered

The permit for Building 1 was for one single-storey reinforced-concrete house with a floor area of 127.95 square metres. Permit No. 094/2568 was issued on August 6, 2025 and was valid until August 5, 2026, but it was not renewed, Rawai.com reported, citing Daily News.

Ms Panadda was listed as the applicant, building owner and site supervisor. She did not submit the papers herself; an authorised associate filed them on her behalf.

Officials said the owner may appeal within 30 days or apply to renew or extend the permit. If the orders are ignored, the case could lead to demolition action.

Forged signature claims still under investigation

The case drew attention after claims that signatures on the permit application were forged. The Phuket News reported that Surasak Duangkhae, a senior legal officer at the Mai Khao organisation, said on October 30 that the documents were complete and met legal requirements, but officials could not tell whether the signatures were genuine.

He said Ms Panadda could file a complaint at Tha Chatchai Police Station so that investigators could arrange forensic checks. If forgery is confirmed, the organisation says it will take legal action against those responsible, including for using forged documents and giving false information to an official.

Rawai.com also noted that officials in Pathum Thani separately suspended building work at a branch of Ms Panadda's foundation in Rangsit Khlong 8, where several buildings were found without properly submitted permits.

Why it matters for Phuket property buyers

The case is a reminder that building permits in Phuket expire and must be renewed, and that each building on a plot needs its own approval. Anyone buying or renting a villa, especially off-plan, should check permits, approved plans and land papers before paying.

Read more: can foreigners buy property in Phuket?, our guide to the Chanote title deed and the latest on the Phuket nominee probe.

Photo: Mai Khao Beach, Phuket, by Xatab86 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. File photo.