On December 14, the Royal Gazette published a new declaration from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, establishing updated environmental protection zones in Phuket. The revised regulations replace the previous order, which had expired, and will remain in effect for five years starting December 14, 2024.
The declaration, titled "Ministerial Declaration on Specified Zones and Measures for Environmental Protection in Phuket Province, B.E. 2567", reduces the protected areas from nine to eight zones. Key measures include stricter controls on construction and industrial activities to prevent and mitigate environmental impacts. Developers are now required to implement pollution control systems and designate green spaces, while redundant provisions overlapping with other laws have been removed for clarity.
Notable changes include adjustments to height restrictions for buildings in certain zones, aligning them with urban planning and construction regulations to support future growth. Construction on elevated terrains, ranging from 80 to 140 meters above sea level or on steep slopes, is now allowed under specific conditions, provided it adheres to building standards set by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning.
The declaration also expands thresholds for projects requiring environmental impact assessments. For example, small-scale operators benefit from relaxed requirements: the number of rooms exempted from stringent assessments for residential buildings and hotels increased from 10–29 to 11–49 rooms, and from 30–79 to 50–79 rooms for initial environmental reports.
To improve oversight, the Phuket Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment will take on the role of coordinating and monitoring compliance, replacing the need for a ministerial-appointed supervisory committee.