Chalong eviction lawsuits affect 669 households in disputed land case

A total of 669 households in Chalong’s Moo Baan Khok Tanod community are facing eviction lawsuits in a long-running dispute over land occupied by more than 3,000 residents.

Community representatives from Moo 3, near Soi Palai, submitted a petition to the Phuket Damrongdhama Centre, or Phuket Provincial Ombudsman’s Office, on 21 September 2026. They said residents had lived on the land since 1992 and that many were low-income people, including children, elderly residents and other vulnerable groups who did not own alternative homes.

The community said a private party had asserted rights over the land and that numerous eviction cases had been filed against residents. Some cases have reportedly reached the Supreme Court.

The petition follows the community’s earlier identification by provincial authorities as an area containing unauthorised housing under Phuket’s land-policy programme. In August 2025, residents in Khok Tanod were reported to have been ordered to leave within 30 days as authorities moved to enforce land-use controls.

The petition was received by Siwat Rawangkul, Mueang Phuket District Chief and acting Phuket Provincial Palad, and Monchai Sae-Lao, director of the Phuket Damrongdhama Centre. Representatives of the Phuket Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security, the Provincial Electricity Authority and other agencies also attended the discussions.

Officials said the provincial administration and other government agencies could not interfere in judicial proceedings. Residents retained the right to present facts and evidence in court, they said.

Officials also discussed assistance if residents are ultimately required to leave. The Phuket Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security will collect information on households facing hardship and assess them for emergency assistance, including temporary accommodation and financial support for people unable to afford rent.

For a longer-term solution, officials discussed working with the Community Organization Development Institute and its Baan Mankong housing programme. One proposal is for residents to form a savings group to seek housing-development funding and negotiate a long-term land lease. The community said a lease of between three and 20 years could help residents meet the programme’s participation conditions.

The district office will arrange further discussions on housing options, while a public prosecutor is expected to join officials on a site visit to examine information about the land and housing dispute. Authorities will also coordinate with the Provincial Electricity Authority’s Chalong branch and community leaders on the feasibility of installing additional electricity meters.

Chalermpong Saengdee, MP for Phuket Constituency 2, said the provincial authorities had formally acknowledged the community’s hardship and would coordinate with relevant agencies. Phuket authorities said they would continue gathering information, verifying facts and coordinating assistance within their legal powers and responsibilities.