11 hours ago, NewGuy said:

Coming back from Soi 5 the other day the Bolt driver said the land was government owned, coconuts trees were being planted, and later something big would be built with the government owning half of it. Me, I don’t know.

If anyone should know he / she would - lol

36 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

Singha beer land is in Naklua, not in Jomtien.

 

oH you're so correct, that's the only place they have land.

 

 

21 hours ago, thjames007 said:

They do that to get it classified as farmland for tax reasons. I doubt any bananas will come from it.  

I saw coconut trees mentioned so you could be right. Be a few years before coconuts come too. 

On 12/26/2025 at 2:57 PM, Sup3rfarang said:

The land was cram full of squatters.  The shacks you saw up by the road were just the tip of the iceberg.  The first phase of the operation was to clear the squatters.  They were given a week notice.  Then workmen came in and demolished the shacks and put all the remaining belongings along the sidewalk for the owners to claim.  The next day the bulldozers came and scoured the squatter zone first.  The evening of that day I walked over and I found over a hundred bewildered dogs sitting all over the cleared areas wondering where their owners went.  And also probably wondering what happened to dinner.  The dogs were gone the next day.

 

Here's the closest to insider info I have.  On the day of the demolition some of the supervisors came over to the pharmacy across the street to make a purchase.  I happen to know the pharmacist lady there and what she learned was this:

 

1. The land is owned by either a TV news personality or maybe the TV station owner.  I couldn't figure out her English, sorry.
2. The owner was allowing the squatters to live there.  Was that out of the kindness of his heart or neglect?  I don't know.
3. Yes, the owner had to clear the land because of the tax implications of unmaintained land.

 

The bulldozers kept at it and, in less than a week, they cleared the entire plot.  Yesterday they were planting saplings.  A Thai identified them to me as coconut trees.

 

The information provided earlier in this thread about taxation of agricultural vs commercial land lines up with what I was told a week ago.  I believe that to be the primary motivator. And a secondary motivation might have been the owner being advised of the risk of squatters being able to gain rights to the land if not dealt with.

 

Also, I agree the coconut trees are the owner's strategy to keep taxes low while waiting for a deal to come together (or, at least, for construction to begin).

 

I do worry about what might be built there.  Thappraya road is not able to handle even a little more traffic.  Also, I don't want to see monstrous condo buildings blocking the view to the sea.  I would like to see small shops and services that make the area more livable.  However I'm sure the bean counters wouldn't consider that the best way to maximize income from the property.

 

However, I do have an idea for this large property that I think no one has thought of yet.  Ok, think if it: Ganja shops as far as the eye can see!

 

Hey, you wanted jokes...

No, not Ganja shops, the entire thing will be a weed farm