Sea gypsies cause headaches as squatters in Rawai

PHUKET: Local authorities are awaiting court approval for warrants to arrest two sea gypsies who are refusing to vacate their rental houses on Rawai beach.

The case centres on a conflict between the land owners, who plan to sell, and the two men.

The poor sanitary conditions of the properties saw the owners order the tenants to leave so the buildings could be demolished, the owners claimed.

SM 1 Suthep Mukdee filed a lawsuit earlier to expel the two gypsies — Anan Bangchak and Maren Bangchak — from the two houses they rented on a 4-rai plot of land on the beach.

The Supreme Court in December 2015 ordered the pair to vacate and the houses be razed.

But the operation to enforce the order was disrupted as 200 gypsy villagers surrounded the area in protest in February.

Katamon Tallawan, director of the Phuket Legal Execution Office, said this led her office to petition the court to approve arrest warrants for the men and others who were party to the protest.

The court was scheduled to consider issuing warrants on July 13 but this has been postponed, according to Ms Katamon.

She said if the warrants are issued they will be brought to the beach site so the offenders can be apprehended and preparations made to clear the two houses.

However, even if this happens, she said it remains unclear what would happen next as both sides still believe they are legally entitled.

She noted the authorities are now dealing with 17 cases of gypsy villagers who stand accused of illegally occupying land.

SM 1 Suthep also sought justice in this case from the Interior Ministry.

Speaking after a meeting to settle the problem, Phuket deputy governor Sanit Srivihok said once the arrest warrants are issued, the provincial authorities will proceed in line with the law.

He said they tried to persuade the Rawai gypsies to move to Koh Sirey, where they could reside on 50-rai of land approved by the Royal Forest Department, but the gypsies refused.

They were found to have lodged petitions about their land rights with various organisations, Mr Sanit said.

Provincial authorities have also proposed buying back 19 rai of land from the private entities that own the land currently occupied by the gypsies, and organising a deal under which they could use it.

The plan has been forwarded to the Interior Ministry and the government, Mr Sanit added.

“Regarding the Rawai land where the gypsies are now residing, the gypsy villagers have asserted they have long been present in the area, dating back from their ancestors,” he said.

“Meanwhile, the land owners are also claiming their land rights based on the documents they are in possession of that pertain to this,” he added.