ABOVE: Ronham Songkhao holds up photos of a backhoe used to destroy residents’ homes. Photo: Darawan Naknakhon / The Phuket News
Phuket residents who say they’ve endured months of threats from a land developer’s hired muscle ordering them to leave their homes filed a complaint at the Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday.
More than 30 residents led by representative Ronham Songkhao visited theprovincial ombudsman’s office after their families had been told to move out of the area by a land developer who claims to hold titles for the land where they built their homes.
Ronham stated the 85 rai of land in dispute was originally a tin mine, but about 50 people have lived there since 2003.
They allege the developer has sent men in black uniforms to threaten residents and used a backhoe to clear the area and demolish homes.
The land developer, who was not identified by Phuket News, has also filed an encroachment complaint against the residents.
In 2013, the developer presented the land title as proof that he is the rightful owner of the site. The document had been issued on Dec. 26, 2012.
Since that time, the residents say they’ve been routinely threatened and ordered to leave, Ronham said.
The residents will return to the Provincial Hall on Monday to check on the progress of their complaint and have said they won’t leave their homes until they are given an answer by officials.
Story: The Phuket News
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