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Military to ask Baron to halt development
Phuket Gazette

Gen Teenachat met with members of the Rawai sea gypsy community and human rights advocates over the land dispute with Baron World Trade Co. Photo: Kongleaphy Keam

PHUKET: -- The Royal Thai 41st Military Circle will ask Baron World Trade Company to halt construction on a long-disputed Rawai development, Commanding General Teenachat Jindangen told the Phuket Gazette on Tuesday.

The general made the remarks after meeting with sea gypsy community leaders in an effort to mediate between the two sides and avoid any further conflicts erupting.

The land dispute between members of the sea gypsy community and Baron Trade Co has escalated to violence in the past, as both groups claimed ownership of the beachfront land in Rawai (story here).

Members of the sea gypsy community and human rights activists met with commanders from the 41st Military Circle in Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, after receiving a summons on April 20 (story here).

“First of all, I want the public to understand that we are not threatening the sea gypsies at all,” Gen Teenachat told the Gazette. “We just wanted to talk to them and understand their side of the issue – what they need and their way of life.”

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Military-ask-Baron-halt-development/63774?desktopversion


-- Phuket Gazette 2016-04-28

[SOTIRIOS]

...of course.....

[Old Croc]

I drove right around the Sea Gypsy village a few weeks ago. Not just the tourist bit in front, but the roads that skirt the boundaries. It was the first time in several years I'd been around there. Disappointingly squalid.

It seems there are now far too many people living there for the area they occupy. Looking at the amount of kids hanging around they have had a population explosion in recent times. The jammed together homes reminded me of slums I've seen depicted in places like Manila and Beijing, and their rubbish covers large amounts of adjacent land owned by others. I can see why they want to expand on to the nearby disputed land.

While not a politically correct solution, I can't help but think they would be better off moving to a place better suited to their population and lifestyle. A dedicated island somewhere in the bay would be ideal. I don't know much about the land being offered elsewhere on Phuket, but I gather it is not on the ocean, so would be unsuitable for these people.

This doesn't mean I'm on the side of the robber barons wanting to build there own versions of hiso slums and closing off beaches for their own use. (My thoughts about the international resort who has purloined Tri Trang Beach for private use can be read elsewhere.) However, if the land is legally owned they should be allowed to develop it.

[NamKangMan]

I drove right around the Sea Gypsy village a few weeks ago. Not just the tourist bit in front, but the roads that skirt the boundaries. It was the first time in several years I'd been around there. Disappointingly squalid.

It seems there are now far too many people living there for the area they occupy. Looking at the amount of kids hanging around they have had a population explosion in recent times. The jammed together homes reminded me of slums I've seen depicted in places like Manila and Beijing, and their rubbish covers large amounts of adjacent land owned by others. I can see why they want to expand on to the nearby disputed land.

While not a politically correct solution, I can't help but think they would be better off moving to a place better suited to their population and lifestyle. A dedicated island somewhere in the bay would be ideal. I don't know much about the land being offered elsewhere on Phuket, but I gather it is not on the ocean, so would be unsuitable for these people.

This doesn't mean I'm on the side of the robber barons wanting to build there own versions of hiso slums and closing off beaches for their own use. (My thoughts about the international resort who has purloined Tri Trang Beach for private use can be read elsewhere.) However, if the land is legally owned they should be allowed to develop it.

"However, if the land is legally owned they should be allowed to develop it." - and that's the problem on Phuket. What land is "legally owned" and what land has been encroached upon, and what land has been stolen.

There are so many false land documents, corrupt land office employees, and along with a corrupt judicial system, that land can be "legally owned" here without properly acquiring it.

It's a big mess that is not properly being investigated, with arrests, prosecutions, imprisonments, and compensation.