PM’s visit dashes sea gypsies' hopes for land dispute resolution

Phuket Gazette

 

          

Interior Minister Anupong (center) said Gov Chamroen’s (right) plan would be illegal. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

 

PHUKET: -- A minister of the Interior sank provincial officials’ hopes for the potential resolution of one of Phuket’s longest-running conflicts, during a 'state visit' by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-Cha to the island on Friday.

Decades-long disputes between the Rawai sea gypsies and developers in the island’s southernmost municipality had entered a new round of government-mediated negotiations in February when Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada backed a plan to buy from the developers the land that the gypsies currently reside on.

Even after more than a hundred sea gypsies marched to Rajabhat University to hand PM Prayuth a letter of grievances on Friday (story here), Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda told the Phuket Gazette that Gov Chamroen’s plan would not move forward. 

“The government cannot buy a piece of land for private purposes just because the Phuket Provincial Governor asks us to do it, ”Minister Anupong said. “It is against the law.”

 

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/PMs-visit-dashes-sea-gypsies-hopes-land/65592?desktopversion

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2016-09-19

 

 

19 hours ago, webfact said:

“The government cannot buy a piece of land for private purposes just because the Phuket Provincial Governor asks us to do it, ”Minister Anupong said. “It is against the law.”

"Believe me, we wrote the thing. If you don't go quietly into the night, we will article 44 you, that's another ting we wrote."

since when did the law really matter here? anyway the good general has the power to do anything he wants, anything. he is just getting off to a slow start. might be better to leave thailand when he starts to get up speed.

I agree. The Thai PM can make anything happen here in Thailand. The gypsies have no money = no push ...

Reading the article from Pukhet Gazette it rather seems to find an appropriate place for sea gypsies to settle, not so much a matter of money. Also the developers and the land they own will get under scrutiny (if I understand the Pukhet gazette right), so it looks to be open end at the moment. 

....after living on the land 100 years...would seem that according to squatting laws....they own it...

37 minutes ago, SOTIRIOS said:

....after living on the land 100 years...would seem that according to squatting laws....they own it...

 

Nope. They first have to actually "claim" squatters rights, which they never did.

This case has already been to court and the land papers held by 19 different people are all genuine.