Phuket villagers plead for protection against land dispute threats

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Phuket villagers plead for protection against land dispute threats
Saran Mitrarat


Community leader Ronhem Sangkao (foreground) and another villager explain their situation, as they see it.

PHUKET: -- About 50 resident from Satonpho community in Moo 3, Palai, Chalong, went this morning (December 8) to the Damrongtham Centre at the Provincial Hall to ask officials for help in a land dispute with “business people” who, they say, have been threatening them.

They also asked for help in getting the dispute resolved in the courts as fast as possible.

Ronhem Sangkao, head of the community, explained, “A total of 46 households in the community, including elderly people, children and students, have been living there since 1988, but in the past few months seven or eight houses were demolished by business people.”

In a letter explaining their plight, the villagers wrote, “We would like to ask for justice on any related case involving local residents, especially the following points:

“We ask the Court to make its judgements on cases related to residents as fast as possible; that the boundary of our community be fixed as soon as possible and that the Supreme Court investigate and decide on the issue of land titles for residents as soon as possible.

“We also ask that business people and everyone involved with the land issue stop threatening residents, demolishing or damaging homes, or filing complaints against local people while the cases are being considered by the court.”

Mr Ronhem said, “The villagers are frightened about men who come into the community at night and try to damage their houses. They also sometime threaten us [to try to get us] to leave.

“Please sympathise us and allow us to live here peacefully until the court makes its decisions,” Mr Ronhem said.

Phuket Damrongthan Center Chief, Prapan Khanprasang, accepted the letter and promised the villagers he would help as soon as possible.

The pleas are the latest in a series of volleys between the villagers and the business people, which earlier this year deteriorated into gunplay and arson, with both sides threatening the other to the point where the Royal Thai Navy had to send heavily armed troops to restore peace.

On June 2 a small camp for workers clearing the land on behalf of the business people was attacked by men armed with shotguns and petrol bombs.

The villagers have already been told by the Land Office that they have no right to squat on the 83 rai of land, which is owned by a partnership. The partners were previously identified as Prajit Hongyok, Samran Saengyanuprab, Prateuang Kreuathong and Supalak Kunarak, who hold land deeds dating back as far as 1913.

In June, five villagers were arrested by the Navy for the attack on the work camp, and guns and knives were confiscated from them.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-villagers-plead-for-protection-against-land-dispute-threats-50026.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-09

[soalbundy]

No problem, they have the RTP to protect them........then may God help them

[NeverSure]

If the place was civilized, they'd be given title by adverse possession. Ten years should be enough for that.

1. Adverse possession is a method of acquiring title to real property by possession for a statutory period under certain conditions, viz: proof of non-permissive use which is actual, open and notorious, exclusive, adverse (to the interests of the owner), and continuous for the statutory period.

   LINK

[Doc46]

No problem, they have the RTP to protect them........then may God help them

So wot's the big deal,,,,,,If they do not own the land they can't squat /live on the land,,,Get the law/army to move/evict the people of the land and fence it off No probs.

[keestha]

No problem, they have the RTP to protect them........then may God help them

So wot's the big deal,,,,,,If they do not own the land they can't squat /live on the land,,,Get the law/army to move/evict the people of the land and fence it off No probs.

According to Thai law, you acquire certain rights if you have been using land for 10 years without being challenged.

[dogleg]

No problem, they have the RTP to protect them........then may God help them

So wot's the big deal,,,,,,If they do not own the land they can't squat /live on the land,,,Get the law/army to move/evict the people of the land and fence it off No probs.

According to Thai law, you acquire certain rights if you have been using land for 10 years without being challenged.

...and not paying rent!