3,500 houses on Lard Prao Canal face demolition

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok:- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will demolish some 3,500 houses of squatters living on the banks of Lard Prao Canal, a senior BMA official said.

BMA’s Drainage and Sewerage Department Director Kungwal Deesuwan said some 13,900 squatters living in the houses will be evicted to make way for constructions of flood embankments along the 24-kilometer-long canal.

The BMA will spend Bt2.4 billion for the construction that will be done in four years, Kungwal said.

The construction will also enlarge the canal to be at least 38-metre wide throughout so the houses that are built on the canals will be demolished.

The canal runs through eight Bangkok districts starting from the northern part of Bangkok in Sai Mai district and it is called with several names by local people. From Sai Mai, it runs through Don Mueng and Bang Khen districts, where it is called Klong Thom, and runs to Chatuchak district and it is called Klong Bang Bua. When it reaches Lard Prao district, it is called Klong Lard Prao and it runs through Huay Kwang and Wang Thonglarn until it connects the Saen Saeb Canal in Bang Kapi.

Kungwal said 792 houses will face demolition in Huay Kwang, 1,063 houses in Chatuchak, 818 houses in Lak Si, 279 houses in Don Mueang, 1,383 houses in Sai Mai.

He said the BMA will soon receive tenders to select a contractor to carry out the project that can start in May. The contractor will start the construction on the areas that have no squatters and the eviction will be gradually carried out.

[trogers]

Why only a non-elected govt can keep order?

This means all elected governments cannot ensure progress?

[ekkamai]

What about all these poor souls?

[MilesofSmiles]

There's also 3500 different ways to say Lat Phrao, Lad Praw, Lard Prao etc.

[Thian]

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What about all these poor souls?

They are free to squat another piece of land, buy a real house or go back to the rural area's.

[maisodni]

I think a lot of thesse properties are occupied my Muslims - because the mosques all seem to be located near canals.

MS

[Eric Loh]

Why only a non-elected govt can keep order?

This means all elected governments cannot ensure progress?

Seem you have difficulty in differentiating a military government with martial law and an elected government.

[FireMedic]

10% off the top of 2.4 billion isn't a bad days pay for Director Kungwal. Hope it all goes well.

[mango66]

the ones who occupay public land are poor, ok,, and now its over and they should go back from where they are coming !

but what with all other people which work hard and purchase their land and house correct with money ?

they will receive correct compensation hopefull;

clean up tzhis canals and huts are very much appreciated !!

[Jim walker]

I wonder how many generals live there

[Daniel Ingalls]

I can see it coming, resentment, not moving, protests, Its going to be problems in the streets. They will not move peacefully. We are talking about 2-3 generations living along the banks.

[Srikcir]

The Junta certainly has the power to do whatever it wants without regard to the plight of poor people who are only squatters out of necessity and not out of choice. Prayut could care less about his 12 Values when people get in the way of Junta decisions. The best these poor people can hope for is that when they stage public protests that they will be hauled away to army quarters or prison for room and board.

Ideally, a government would relocate those 3,800 families and provide minimum shelters to help them continue to survive until they have enough economic fortune to find their own shelter. It might even provide some minimal employment on the planned projects to further improve their finances. Not to do so would reflect badly on the government and possibly suffer setbacks in the next election. But the Junta is not constrained by the inconvenience of an angry electorate nor by the courts.

Hopefully, the Junta will ultimately react the same as it did with displacing street and beach bed vendors, and rice farmers thrown out of work because of government shutdown of water resources when it did finally make some economic accomodations. But only after public confrontations. The Junta's ability to predict and understand the challenges of civilian life seems persistently lost in its own comfortable island of guaranteed employment, housing, and wages.

[Bear0Mack]

I think the good that will come out of this, is that there won't be so much rubbish, excrement, and otherwise toxic waste in Bangkok's, and the world's waterways. People will finally be able to move along these canals without getting so sick when splashed or feeling sick from the smell. People used to swim in these canals and catch fish but a generation ago.

Am I the only one that thinks this way?

[leeneeds]

will they take all the dogs as well ?

[sharpjwe]

the squatters have been there for generations for free.

they should have had time to save money and purchase rightful property like all of us.

these projects are on public land and should be returned

no compensation should be given

if the want compensation , the usage over time should be deducted from the said compensation.

i am shocked that any one doing something wrong for generations should think it becomes a right.

[doremifasol]

Hope the squatters will adapt to the changes and that support will be there for them,

but not compensation. After all, they have been sitting their butt on (soon to be)

prime location for decades .