Hua Hin local residents and traders who were accused of public land encroachment by building guesthouses and homes and food vendors have called for sympathy from the authorities following imminent movement by the local administration to enforce the law strictly to remove all the property encroached on public land.
The call was made as they met the deputy governor of Prachuab Khiri Khan Mr Theeraphan Nantakij today to negotiate for the suspension of the action. At the meeting the deputy explained to them the need to enforce the law and the procedure the encroachers needed to follow and abide by. However the owners of the 40 encroached properties are asking for sympathy saying they have been there for over a decade. They also claimed that their ancestors have pioneered to develop the area.

Earlier local administration ordered the dismantling of the structures on the roadside of Naresdamri Road, from the Fishing Pier to Chaomae Tabtim Shrine because they have encroached on the public beach but they said the area was the old community, citing some old wooden homes which now have become Hua Hin’s legend.
The wooden homes were praised as the identity of the Hua Hin town which deserved to be conserved under the project in 2012, to inherit Hua Hin old homes, buildings and townscape, citing Home No 7 was the good example.
One local resident said “It has history and valuable background that deserves to be conserved. Here is one of the charms of Hua Hin tourism. I have spoken or talked with many foreigners and many of them said they were sad that these structures will be dismantled.”
They also cited history saying since King Rama III, their ancestors have sailed the ships to develop and settle in this area. There was no road cut through the land so that the area between the eastern and western sides of Naresdamri Road was the same plot of land.
But they claimed the authorities later have requested to build the road and the residents have agreed with hope that the road would bring the development to the community.

They also said in the past, residents here were fishermen and the area was used to dry their fishing net and squids.
When the resources in the sea have reduced and tourism business has gradually boomed, guesthouses and homes as well as food stalls were built to cater the need of tourists.
Local residents said they were all only small operators not the capitalists or influential people. They also voiced concern that the plan to dismantle the structures of the original community was aimed to revive the project that could benefit some certain groups and it was a private company that surveyed the area for the project to improve the landscaping and to utilize the area next to the beach, they claimed.

“We would like to ask for sympathy. Our ancestors have pioneered to develop the area. This area should be conserved because it is the symbol of Hua Hin tourism. It is also the village by the sea… every country want to conserve the old thing and this town is the only place that wants to take this land for development one sad owner complained.

Article Source: Thai PBS