Phuket officials assess aid for 669 Khok Tanod households amid eviction dispute
Officials are examining housing, welfare and legal assistance for about 3,000 Khok Tanod residents as a land dispute continues through the courts.
Phuket officials are assessing housing and welfare assistance for 669 households in Khok Tanod, Chalong, after residents raised concerns about eviction proceedings linked to a long-running land dispute.
Phuket Vice Governor Romdon Hayiawae led a site visit to the Moo 9 community on Thursday, 8 October, meeting residents and government agencies to gather information about the situation and possible assistance. The visit followed a petition submitted to the Phuket Damrongdhama Centre on 21 September.
Residents said they had lived on the land for decades but now faced uncertainty after legal proceedings were launched against some households. The community has said about 3,000 people live in the 669 households, including children, older people and other vulnerable residents. Many families are on low incomes and have no other home to move to.
Residents said a private party had asserted rights over the land and sought their eviction. The dispute remains before the courts, and the province stressed that government agencies must act within their legal powers and cannot interfere with court proceedings.
Mueang Phuket District officials will coordinate with relevant parties to examine possible housing arrangements based on the facts of each case and within the legal framework. The Phuket Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security also met affected residents to assess assistance available under its mandate and eligibility criteria.
Legal and public prosecutor officials reviewed information about residents’ occupation of the land, land rights and the court proceedings. The Provincial Electricity Authority and local authorities also took part in the discussions.
Officials previously discussed possible emergency accommodation and financial assistance for households unable to afford rental housing if families ultimately have to leave the disputed land. For a longer-term option, they discussed working with the Community Organization Development Institute through its Baan Mankong housing programme.
One proposal would involve residents forming a savings group to help access housing-development funding and negotiate a longer-term lease. Residents suggested that a lease of between three and 20 years could potentially allow the community to meet requirements for participation in the programme.
Romdon said the province recognised the residents’ hardship, particularly their housing concerns. He said the visit was intended to hear directly from residents, establish a shared understanding of the facts and consider solutions to individual cases while remaining within the law and the mandates of the agencies involved.
Phuket Province said it would continue coordinating with relevant agencies and use information gathered during the visit to develop measures covering housing, public utilities and legal matters while the dispute continues.
