Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong vowed yesterday to try to resolve the housing issues of the island’s poor. Due to ever-increasing tourism and retirees moving to the island, land and housing prices have skyrocketed, leaving people that have been on the island for generations without adequate places to live.
Gov. Norraphat wants to find a permanent place for these residents where they don’t have to live in constant fear of being forced to relocate.
The announcement came after Gov. Norraphat met with people representing more than 300 people from poor communities across Phuket. After the meeting, the governor called for an update Community Chanote deeds.
Community Chanote deeds were introduced under the Democratic government of Abhisit Vejjajiva in 2010 to provide poor communities across the country the right to live on government land and farm for subsistence. But with those deeds they will never own or be able to sell the land.
However, Community Chanotes were no longer supported under the ensuing government of Yingluck Shinawatra.
In their call for an update to their plight today, villagers pointed out that they had already handed a formal written request to Phuket Vice Governor Siwaporn Chuasawad on March 20.
That request asked for urgent action by Phuket Provincial Office in response to a report on April 19 by Wattai Chuchuern, former Director of the Management Division of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Phuket Office.
Wattai reported that at least six communities in Phuket should not be considered for a Community Chanote, as he claimed that all of the villagers in the communities seeking the deeds were encroaching on protected mangrove forests or on private, or legally held land.
He also noted that some of the allegedly encroached land has grown into large communities. That include actions illegal on the deeds such as holding private businesses and encroaching onto privately owned land.
Story: The Phuket News
