At 10am, more than 30 residents from the Sratonpoe Community in Baan Palai, Chalong, led by spokesman Ronham Songkhao, arrived at Provincial Hall and filed a complaint with the Damrongtham Centre (provincial ombudsman’s office).
Mr Ronham told Damrongtham Centre chief Prapan Khanphrasang that the reason for the visit was to follow up on a previous complaint sent to the Prime Minister’s Office on May 3.
More than 50 residents have been told to leave their homes and move out of the area by a land developer who claims to have land titles for the land on which they live.
It is alleged that the developer has sent men in black uniforms to threaten residents and has used a backhoe to clear the area and demolish homes.
The land developer has also filed an encroachment report against the residents and that this issue has been sent to court.
Mr Ronham stated that according to a land survey, the 85 rai of land in dispute was originally a tin mine. However, the current residents have lived there since 2003.
The developer has been telling residents that this piece of land has changed hands numerous times and that he acquired it in 2008, Mr Ronham said.
In 2013, the developer presented a Chanote land title as proof that he is the rightful owner of the site. The Chanote was issued on December 26, 2012.
Since that time, the residents have been continuously subjected to threats and told to leave, Mr Ronham said.
The residents will return to Provincial Hall on Monday (June 22) to check on the progress of their complaint and have threatened not to leave their homes until they are given an answer by officials.