Watch our documentary THE PEOPLE OF THE FORT below.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has ordered the eviction of the Pom Mahakan community in Phra Nakhon district by the end of April so it can turn the area into a public park.
After the park plan was delayed for over 20 years due to opposition from residents, officials put up an eviction sign outside the fort today.
The area, which has been home to more than 50 households over six generations, will be turned into an eco-tourism spot to complement the historic fort, which was built in the 1700s.
Mahakan Fort. Photo: ScorpianPK/ Wikimedia
On the sign, the BMA stated that the city received a royal decree for the land expropriation in 1992, and that later in 2004, the Administrative Court ruled that the city has the right to demolish the houses.
The sign also said officials will meet with the community on April 19 to discuss relocation of the residents.
Community leader Tawatchai Woramahakun told Thai PBS they would not leave the homes they have lived in for several decades.
He said the residents did not object to the city’s plan but would like a community model for the fort where they are allowed to take part in managing and conserving the fort as a tourist attraction.
Tawatchai suggested that the community could help ensure safety for tourists by setting up their own guards and clean up the area, while the city could collect rent from residents.
Yesterday the residents surrounded the fort and crossed hands to demonstrate unity in the community.
There were originally 14 forts in Bangkok. Pom Mahakan is only one of the two remaining forts that have been preserved, besides Phra Sumeru.
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