The verdict was handed down in the land claim by plaintiff Boonsri Tantiwattanawanlop against sea gypsies Aeaw Hardsaithong, Woranan Hadsaithong, Bancha Hadsaithong and Niran Hyangpan. On Jan 31 last year the Phuket Provincial Court ruled in favour of four Rawai sea gypsies, upholding their rights to live in the sea gypsy village. (See story here.)
The plaintiff later appealed to the Region 8 Court of Appeal.
Speaking in front of Phuket Provincial Court on Wednesday (Feb 28), the lawyer representing the sea gypies, Pasit Thavornlamlert, explained that “At 9am the Phuket Provincial Court read through the judgement made by the Region 8 Court of Appeal. The court dismissed the case.
“The court concluded that the land acquisition notification of the plaintiff, which was related to a SorKor1 land document, was illegal,” Mr Pasit said.
“In this case, the defendants have rebutted about the possession. Witnesses and evidence were presented which made the case have weight, so the court accepted that the defendants have possessed the land before,” Mr Pasit added.