Hundreds protest in Bangkok urging junta to respect land rights

REUTERS

 

BANGKOK: -- Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the Thai capital on Monday calling on the junta to address land rights and housing needs in what police and organizers said was one of the biggest demonstrations since the May 2014 coup.

 

Development in Thailand, Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy, has come at a cost to local communities who often face threats, violence and judicial harassment, say rights groups.

 

Protesters marking World Habitat Day outside the regional UN headquarters in Asia said they would hand a petition to the United Nations and then march on to Government House, a stone's throw away, to demand land reform.

 

Full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-rights-idUSKCN12309I

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2016-10-03

The mode of transport taken by these protesters and their brand of smartphones would be an interesting study...

Traffic must be bad in the area now with the extra tourist coaches with Chinese tourists.

Power to the people. Fight for your rights!

The problem is that Thais just plant themselves on a plot of land and then believe it belongs to them, sort of like a gypsy ethic were they are in fact nothing more than squatters, the problems start when developers and/or government want to develop these slums because they are an eyesore and generally filthy and occupy prime locations visible to all, in saying that, the government or developer has an obligation to relocate and house these people 

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

These are people sticking up for their rights and you are trying to tar them with a political affiliation to suit your agenda.

 

Pathetic.

 

What rights? The right to squat? Perhaps on church grounds, Father?

The corrupt who always control Thailand force everyone to move to Bangkok and then want them to leave because they can't survive on the bs slave wages they pay them. God didn't give anyone this land. Yes, they have a right to it. They've lived there for decades or longer who knows. It's always the haves who get more and more each year without more and more work who complain about the poor just having a place to hang their hat. The system is corrupt and capitalism is corrupt. If they came yesterday, fine but if they have been there for a long time they have rights. But in Thailand, rights are treated as dangerous foreign idea especially when it comes to the poor having them. Fight for your rights because those who have always controlled everything and always had an unfair advantage won't give them to you without a fight!

4 minutes ago, Alive said:

The corrupt who always control Thailand force everyone to move to Bangkok and then want them to leave because they can't survive on the bs slave wages they pay them. God didn't give anyone this land. Yes, they have a right to it. They've lived there for decades or longer who knows. It's always the haves who get more and more each year without more and more work who complain about the poor just having a place to hang their hat. The system is corrupt and capitalism is corrupt. If they came yesterday, fine but if they have been there for a long time they have rights. But in Thailand, rights are treated as dangerous foreign idea especially when it comes to the poor having them. Fight for your rights because those who have always controlled everything and always had an unfair advantage won't give them to you without a fight!

 

Russia is no longer communist...

An illegal protest, and no arrests?

 

Could this be the start of some sort of fight back even if it is hiso squatters?

 

 

29 minutes ago, Alive said:

The corrupt who always control Thailand force everyone to move to Bangkok and then want them to leave because they can't survive on the bs slave wages they pay them. God didn't give anyone this land. Yes, they have a right to it. They've lived there for decades or longer who knows. It's always the haves who get more and more each year without more and more work who complain about the poor just having a place to hang their hat. The system is corrupt and capitalism is corrupt. If they came yesterday, fine but if they have been there for a long time they have rights. But in Thailand, rights are treated as dangerous foreign idea especially when it comes to the poor having them. Fight for your rights because those who have always controlled everything and always had an unfair advantage won't give them to you without a fight!

Save us from Americans and their rights rants. Assuming we are not discussing squatters, who have very little if any right to land possession, there is also the concept of eminent domain. You may have to look that up.

BTW my daughter and family had a very nice acreage block where they built a 4 bedroom house, pool and extensive shed area. Resumed for a 4 lane highway.

4 minutes ago, halloween said:

Save us from Americans and their rights rants. Assuming we are not discussing squatters, who have very little if any right to land possession, there is also the concept of eminent domain. You may have to look that up.

BTW my daughter and family had a very nice acreage block where they built a 4 bedroom house, pool and extensive shed area. Resumed for a 4 lane highway.

"Resumed for a 4 lane highway."

Did you mean expropriated? That's a shame, unless they had some earlier information from that particular highways departement? If they got in excess of what the costs were and came out ahead financially, then not so painful.

the problem is that the poor simply claim land when it isnt theirs, squatting on land, clearing it and building a house and planting a crop does not make it theirs automatically, unless the govt gives it to them they have no rights to it at all. This snowballs when the govt does give them land but they then sell it and go off and squat somewhere else on govt land again then bitch when it is taken back. These people are their own worst enemies because of what they do and think,  then you get those that use them for their own purposes as well, its a never ending story in Thailand, unless they have the papers to show they bought the land or were given it legally they have no standing at all.

Hundreds?

I hope they keep in groups of 5 maximum....

4 hours ago, trogers said:

The mode of transport taken by these protesters and their brand of smartphones would be an interesting study...

Dear sir do you have any idea how peoples land rights have been trampled on in this country. Do you know that in the 1970's and 80's many National Parks was declared which included land that has been farmed for generations. These people was supposed to receive other land as compensation for the land lost to the NP's. However many people never received these promised land and are now forcefully removed by the junta as they are deemed land invaders. Please do research on the issue before writing a silly, unfounded and colour coded comment.

2 hours ago, trogers said:

 

What rights? The right to squat? Perhaps on church grounds, Father?

Maybe the right to own land by working on it ("la tierra a quim an trabalho")?

1 hour ago, ratcatcher said:

"Resumed for a 4 lane highway."

Did you mean expropriated? That's a shame, unless they had some earlier information from that particular highways departement? If they got in excess of what the costs were and came out ahead financially, then not so painful.

Resumption is the term used for compulsory acquisition. The payment was as valued, never as much as you would sell for. Yes, they were given notice, 2 years IIRC.

43 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

Dear sir do you have any idea how peoples land rights have been trampled on in this country. Do you know that in the 1970's and 80's many National Parks was declared which included land that has been farmed for generations. These people was supposed to receive other land as compensation for the land lost to the NP's. However many people never received these promised land and are now forcefully removed by the junta as they are deemed land invaders. Please do research on the issue before writing a silly, unfounded and colour coded comment.

 

I went to Phechabun in the mid-eighties and burst out laughing on the tour bus...

 

That was the first time that I saw hills without a single tree...

 

I wonder, how could that happen by any works of nature?

 

And the children of the cause...are clamouring for land rights?

3 hours ago, smedly said:

The problem is that Thais just plant themselves on a plot of land and then believe it belongs to them, sort of like a gypsy ethic were they are in fact nothing more than squatters, the problems start when developers and/or government want to develop these slums because they are an eyesore and generally filthy and occupy prime locations visible to all, in saying that, the government or developer has an obligation to relocate and house these people 

 

They actually have squatter rights under Thai law:

 

http://usa.siam-legal.com/property-thailand/title-deeds.php

 

"Under Thai law, squatters who occupied another person's land without permission can eventually claim ownership of the said land parcels if the land's rightful owner was not able to evict them in a certain period of time. A Chanote title deed gives land owners 10 years to evict the squatters from their land before they lose their ownership."

 

But, the law favors the elite, a situation that the junta and the tired, junta-loving reactionaries are fighting hard to keep.

3 hours ago, trogers said:

 

Russia is no longer communist...

Put lipstick on a pig .............

27 minutes ago, brucec64 said:

 

They actually have squatter rights under Thai law:

 

http://usa.siam-legal.com/property-thailand/title-deeds.php

 

"Under Thai law, squatters who occupied another person's land without permission can eventually claim ownership of the said land parcels if the land's rightful owner was not able to evict them in a certain period of time. A Chanote title deed gives land owners 10 years to evict the squatters from their land before they lose their ownership."

 

But, the law favors the elite, a situation that the junta and the tired, junta-loving reactionaries are fighting hard to keep.

Wow! A law that allows squatters to gain legal title over someone else's land favours the elite?

Just how many elite are squatting on the oppressed poor's land?

3 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

"Resumed for a 4 lane highway."

Did you mean expropriated? That's a shame, unless they had some earlier information from that particular highways departement? If they got in excess of what the costs were and came out ahead financially, then not so painful.

Guess there's a "compensation for expropriation" principle in Thai law, that's probably what the protestors are after. 

39 minutes ago, halloween said:

Wow! A law that allows squatters to gain legal title over someone else's land favours the elite?

Just how many elite are squatting on the oppressed poor's land?

 

I guess you missed the point of the article:

 

"Hundreds protest in Bangkok urging junta to respect land rights"

 

Maybe they are protesting because the law is not being followed?

 

How is that possible? The coup brought in "good people" that would address all the wrongs of the nation. Is it possible they are not so "good" after all?

5 hours ago, smedly said:

The problem is that Thais just plant themselves on a plot of land and then believe it belongs to them, sort of like a gypsy ethic were they are in fact nothing more than squatters, the problems start when developers and/or government want to develop these slums because they are an eyesore and generally filthy and occupy prime locations visible to all, in saying that, the government or developer has an obligation to relocate and house these people 

So, in your view, a squatter, illegally living on a piece of land or in a building, has a right to ask the government or developer to give them a place to live in.

For free or rent-free, I presume?

Good to see that trogers and halloween are standing up for the little guy! No wonder you get a hard on every time the "PM" makes his angry face...

5 hours ago, smedly said:

The problem is that Thais just plant themselves on a plot of land and then believe it belongs to them

In the case of the Phuket Sea Gypsies, a fairly valid claim.

“This evidence [DNA] supports the villagers’ claims that they have lived here for more than 100 years,” [DSI Director] Gen Chatchawal said" http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/DNA-tests-confirm-Phuket-sea-gypsy-village/31072#ad-image-0

But now a company has decided with Prayut's cooperation to simply eject those residents for commercialization.

Every case should be scrutinized as to all the relevant facts in compliance with the law.

6 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

These are people sticking up for their rights and you are trying to tar them with a political affiliation to suit your agenda.

 

Pathetic.

Atta boy Father no blessing for them. Yes these people have been disenfranchised and are asking for justice. They are really braving the gun barrel to make their feelings known. Throw it up on social media and see how soon justice comes knocking. Shaming is the only to get the junta's attention. 

4 hours ago, trogers said:

 

Russia is no longer communist...

That doesn't mean capitalism is fair.

My 85 year old mother in law and 87 year old father in law had lived next to the railways for 60 years and raised 4 children on land they thought they owned. Some rich guy walked in and ordered their house torn down and gave them a tiny piece that they could live on in a shack until they die. 

The land that had their beautiful 6 room thai style house has been empty for the last 15 years. While my lovely parents live in a shack.

The developers have no intention of returning the land to the public. They wait a few years and commercialise it for their own fat pockets. 

4 hours ago, Thailand said:

An illegal protest, and no arrests?

 

Could this be the start of some sort of fight back even if it is hiso squatters?

 

 

Not really

It certainly will be seen by many who are silent and unhappy with what the government is doing as reconfirming of their feelings that this regime is abusive and not working for the people. And it will reach people across the nation and be a discussion point about the state of nation under this regime. Another straw on the camel.