Local community left homeless
Homeless residents of the Sa Ton Pho community evicted
from land in Chalong and then again from land near Rassada Pier set up camp in front of the new Phuket Provincial Hall last week in their plea to be allowed to live on unused state land.
Chonthee Changruenkul, the coordinator of the Phuket Community Rights Development Network, explained that the camp, set up on May 4, comprised some 50 residents.
Mr Chonthee said that the residents were pursuing their right to be granted a place to live under rights already given by the Ministry
of Natural Resources following a Cabinet resolution in 2010.
The Sa Ton Pho community derives its name, meaning “Bodhi Tree Pond”, from where the residents
once lived near Phuket Zoo in Moo 3, Chalong, said Mr Chonthee.
The residents lived on unused land around a natural pond in the area, which is primarily mangrove swamp, but were evicted by the landowner, he explained.
The residents then were granted permission to move to 50 rai of unused land on Sri Suthat Rd, near the
monkey viewpoint near Rassada Pier,
but are now being asked ‒ through legal action ‒ to vacate the area by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO) as there is no legal provision to allow them to stay on that particular land, Mr Chonthee said.
The residents have appealed to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the DirectorGeneral of the Department of Marine
and Coastal Resources to change the official designated use of the land to allow them to stay.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment responded
and officials came down to discuss with the provincial government to create an MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] between the Ton Pho
community and related agencies to allow the residents to stay,” he said.
Of the 34 households that comprised the original Sa Ton Pho community in Chalong, only 23 are left. The rest of the people moved away during the COVID pandemic, Mr Chonthee noted.
“That still leaves 23 households,
comprising 78 people, in trouble,” he noted.
“They have no place to go, so they are asking for permission to stay at the Phuket Community Rights
Center network at the entrance of
Rassada Pier by building temporary
housing only,” Mr Chonthee said.
“But the land there is under the care of PPAO, and the PPAO has taken legal action against the villagers who tried to set up homes there as the official permission from the Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources given is still not being upheld,” he added.
The residents submitted yet another formal request to Phuket Governor Narong Wonciew to resolve the long-standing problem on May 5.
“Of the 50 rai of state land not being used, we are asking to use only four and a half rai,” Mr Chonthee said.
Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam met Mr Chontree and other representatives on May
5, but delivered no promises other than that officials will continue to meet and discuss the issue.
However, that was enough to convince the group to disband the protest late that night.
Discussions did lead to the suggestion that the residents be allowed
to live on unused state land near Saphan Hin controlled by Phuket City Municipality.
Provincial officials were to meet with Phuket City Municipality officials this week to discuss the proposal, Vice Governor Anupap said.