Rawai Sea Gypsy land suits reach 101 people

[Lite Beer]

Rawai Sea Gypsy land suits reach 101 people
Nattha Thepbamrung

PHUKET: The number of Sea Gypsy villagers getting sued by a group of businessmen looking to kick them off the land has reached 101 people, most of whom live in 11 to 12 households, according to the villagers' attorney.

“There are more evictors on this land case. Suthep Mookdee, Satuan Mookdee, Jamroen Mookdee and Piyawat Sa-Ngiamkul have sued several homes with about 101 people,” said Mr Pasit Thawornlamlert, the village lawyer.

Mr Suthep, Mr Satuan and Mr Jaroen – who recently passed away and whose family will continue the case – each sued only two houses on their lands.

The Rawai Sea Gypsies claim they have lived on the disputed land for at least seven generations, building homes there and living their their own unique lifestyle. Just over 2,000 people in 247 households now live in the village.

Villagers largely pinned their hopes on DNA results of two partial skeletons that were found in the ground beneath one of the homes. The DNA could show that the bones come from people related to those currently living in the Sea Gypsy village.

According to Mr Pasit, DSI officers unofficially confirmed that the bones did in fact have a relation to people in the village. However, the official results were never sent to the village attorney and cannot be used in court.

“The DSI officers confirmed unofficially with us that the bones must be up to 100 years old but there is no official result that we can use in the court so far. We put our hope on this one so much.”

“The number of Sea Gypsy villagers getting sued have risen sharply and they can only wait for the court and the ancient bones, a hopeful evidence they found a year ago,” Mr Pasit said. The bones have since been returned to the village.

As a result of the lawsuits, the villagers have begun to feel unstable in their own homes

“A lot of our community members are getting sued,” said Ngim Damrongkaset, 69, one of the elders in the Sea Gypsy village.

“The land conflict affects us and our livelihood. We do not have proper water supply or electricity as the authorities cannot install them permanently because the land does not belong to us even though we have lived here for hundreds of years before the land papers were ever issued.

Meanwhile, Chanwit Saiwan, 35, a member of a local NGO (Non-government organisation) which has been supporting the Rawai Sea Gypsies for many years, vented his frustrations.

“I am frighteningly sad with what is happening. Why do [the businessmen] do this to these people? I wonder why many sectors involved in the case do not pay any attention to the history, cultural and traditional evidence rather than paper,” Mr Chanwit said.

“It Seems las though the unique liifestyle of the sea gypsy that must have been carried on for many generations does not mean anything.”

“I am worried that if they lose the case, Chawlay (Sea Gypsy) will disappear forever. They still do not have any secondary plan in the event they lose the cases. [The villagers] are still hoping that finally, they can live on their ancestor’s land peacefully,” Chanwit said.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/rawai-sea-gypsy-land-suits-reach-101-people-49212.php

-- Thai PBS 2014-10-17

[kaobang]

why a bunch of cops there?intimidation?

[iReason]

Send the Authorities over to Koh Tao.

None of the "Influential people" own the land they claim.

They are squatters with no papers.

For generations...