Public Access Denied Amid Supreme Court Wrangle for B10bn Beachfront Land
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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019 thephuketnews thephuketnews1 thephuketnews.com Friday, January 4 – Thursday, January 10, 2019 Since 2011 / Volume IX / No. 1 20 Baht HEAVY WEATHER WARNING FOR THE WEEKEND > PAGE 2 NEWS PAGE 2 Seven Days of Danger draws LAYAN to a close LOCKOUT LIFE PAGE 16 Start New Year right with self- One of the gates that once allowed access affirmations to Layan Beach is now chain-locked to prevent trespassers. Photo: The Phuket News PUBLIC ACCESS DENIED AMID SUPREME COURT WRANGLE FOR B10BN BEACHFRONT LAND The Phuket News several properties along the beach- piece of land,” he said. “I can’t remember,” he said. [email protected] front. The gates remain there because “There are many other ways to The 16 plots, claimed and occupied there is nothing I can do while the get to the beach. It would be best to by mostly tourism-businesses such aAnn Samran, Chief of appeals are being heard in court,” use them,” he added. as beachfront restaurants, were all SPORT PAGE 32 the Cherng Talay Tambon Mr MaAnn told The Phuket News. However, without direct access declared state land by the Supreme MAdministration Organisa- “If I do anything to them, I might from the road the only access is by Court as far back as Nov 1, 2017. Gold-medallist tion (OrBorTor) is advising people to be sued later for destruction of private walking along the beach either from Within two weeks, Department keep clear and not enter any gates property,” he added. Sirinath National Park at the north, of Special Investigation (DSI) Chief installed at properties along the Mr MaAnn warned that people or hiking 1.5 kilometres along the Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang and on track for Layan beachfront while the Supreme who cross land that is now gated may sand from the south. DSI Deputy Chief Lt Col Prawut World Masters Court hears an appeal by five people be sued for trespass. Mr MaAnn told The Phuket Wongsrinil made the trip to Phuket claiming to own the land in question. “Some of the plots have businesses News that he was unable to identify in person to oversee the posting of The Supreme Court last held on them and allow people onto the exactly which of the 16 plots along public notices physically on the plots a hearing on the appeals late last land, but others do not. the Layan-Leypang beachfront were to inform the public that the Supreme month, but has yet to rule on any of “If the owner (sic) allows people being claimed by appeal, or the people Court had ruled that the plots were the appeals, he said. and even vehicles onto the land, you who were claiming to own the land, government land and that any persons “Gates have been installed and will be fine, but if they do not, it would or even how much of the land was found encroaching on it would face locked to prevent public access to be better to simply avoid crossing that being claimed. criminal legal action… CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 @thephuketnews 2 PHUKET NEWS THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019 [email protected] Cannabis, kratom now approved for medicinal use News > page 7 Six dead in New Year road-safety campaign The Phuket News [email protected] All small boats are banned from leaving shore during the heavy warning period. Image: TMD huket concluded the Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign Heavy rain warning forP New Year 2019 with six dead and 53 injured in 55 accidents reported during for the weekend the holiday week from last PHUKET AND OTHER “All things for (marine) Thursday (Dec 27) through provinces along the Andaman safety must be in order. Boat Wednesday this week (Jan 2). Coast have been issued a captains must check their boats Among the road fatali- weather warning, with and the safety equipment on ties during the week was a torrential downpours and board, including life jackets, one-month-old baby girl, waves reaching up to three for any emergency. Nalinipha Taophet, who died metres high forecast this “Also, all boat operators from injuries sustained when weekend, with up to 70% of must follow weather reports the white Honda Brio she was One-month-old baby girl Nalinipha Taophet died after the white Honda Brio the island expected to be hit closely,” he added. travelling in struck a truck she was being carried in struck the back of a truck and trailer and spun out with heavy rain. Tropical storm Pabuk is and trailer from behind and of control in Thalang last Saturday (Dec 29). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Thai Meteorological over the lower South China spun across Thepkrasattri Rd Department (TMD) issued Sea, located at latitude 6.0 at about 7:30am last Saturday Phuket at 11am last Sunday to Dibuk Hospital and then seatbelts; the warning for Phuket on degrees north, longitude 108.0 (Dec 29). (Dec 30). transferred to Bangkok Hos- • 2,106 fined for driving Wednesday morning (Jan 2), degrees east, with maximum The car came to rest after Another foreigner, Ruslan pital Phuket in Phuket Town, without a licence; following a general warning sustained winds of 65km/h, colliding with another car Chinokaev, 44, whose na- but later pronounced dead • 125 fined for speeding; for all of Southern Thailand the TMD noted in its warning. travelling on the road. tionality was not noted in the from his injuries. • 353 fined for running a on Tuesday. “The storm was moving Nalinipha was being held report by the Department of Mr Ruslan was taken to red light; All small boats are banned west at a speed of 10km/h in her mother’s arms on the Disaster Prevention and Miti- Patong Hospital and then • 347 fined for ghost driv- from leaving shore during through the tip of Indochina back seat of the car when the gation (DDPM-Phuket), was transferred to Vachira Phuket ing (driving opposite traffic the heavy warning period, and expected to reach the accident happened. injured during the seven days. Hospital in Phuket Town, the flow); Phuket Marine Office Acting lower Gulf by 2-3 January Also among the fatalities Mr Ruslan suffered seri- DDPM noted. • 207 fined for dangerously Chief Wiwat Chitchertwong 2019. was an American, named by ous head injuries when a Meanwhile, police re- cutting off other motorists in confirmed with a written “By 3-5 January 2019, police as Stephen Thomas motorbike being driven by ported issuing 7,602 fines for traffic; notice on Wednesday (Jan 2). it will affect the South Dammit, 39, who died from Ekkapong Hiran, 27, crossed moving violations during the • 243 fined for using mo- “Regarding reports of with more rain and some internal injuries after the into the oncoming lane on a seven days, as follows: bile phones whilst driving; Tropical Storm Pabuk, small torrential downpours. People motorbike he was riding col- curve in Kata and collided • 226 fined for operating • 162 arrested for drunk boats must not leave port on should beware of the severe lided with a passenger van on with the motorbike being an unsafe/illegally modified driving; and Jan 3-5,” Mr Wiwat said in conditions,” the warning noted. the coastal road to Promthep driven by Mr Chinokaev. motorcycle; • 3,273 fined for not wear- his notice. The Phuket News Cape at the southern end of Mr Ekkapong was rushed • 560 fined for not wearing ing helmets. Layan beach blocked amid B10bn land wrangle Continued from page 1 ...The land, covering some 178 rai, occupies three kilometres of the most unspoilt beachfront land in Phuket and was estimated by the DSI to be worth more than B10 billion. However, none of the operators of the businesses along the Layan-Leypang beachfront complied with the Supreme Court order, despite the DSI’s threat of legal action. By February last year Lt Col Mon- tree Bunyayothin, Director of the DSI’s Bureau of Natural Resources, led a A gate stands open at one plot on the meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall where Layan beachfront. Photo: The Phuket News he gave the businesses operators until March 5, 2018 to vacate the land or posting an advertisement to sell an “The best I know is that the Legal face having their buildings demolished. undisclosed area of the land for B3.6bn. Execution Department told me that The businesses stayed, and none Mr MaAnn said that locally the this case (sic) is still being heard in the of the buildings were demolished. matter was now in the hands of the court and the details (of the claims to Instead they all remain there today, Legal Execution Department. owning the land) are still being checked. still serving tourists. “I can’t be sure what to do next “I will have my legal division (of All the threats by officials until the Phuket Provincial Prosecutor the Cherng Talay OrBorTor) issue a throughout the year didn’t even stop and Thalang District Chief instruct me formal request for more details. I need one real estate agent in Phuket from through official documents,” he said. it all to be clearer,” he added. thephuketnews THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019 THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019 PHUKET NEWS 3 Dawn raid nets 500kg of Police ramp up security kratom, four cars seized A RAID BY ANTI-NAR- cotics officers in Phuket before after Songkhla bombings dawn last Thursday (Dec The Phuket News 27) netted 500 kilograms of [email protected] kratom and seven suspects, and saw four cars seized.