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  1. #1
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Canal squatters in capital to face forced eviction



    The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is going ahead with its plan to construct flood prevention embankments and accordingly, numerous homes along the capital's nine major canals or klong will be evicted by May.
    The eviction process will begin initially along Klong Ladprao which has more than 3,000 squatters.

    Klong Ladprao is the first of all the klongs that the BMA will have flood prevention embankments constructed because it is a main drainage facility that is 38 metres wide.

    BMA expected that more than 20,000 squatters living along its banks will have to be evicted.

    In a recent survey along the entire 22 kilomtres stretch of Klong Ladprao canal, the BMA discovered that there are more than 3,000 homes along its banks housing more than 14,000 residents.

    Three options are being looked at with regards to the eviction.

    First is to relocate the squatters to a nearby location still close to the klongs, and second is to move them between 3 – 5 kilometres from their present location, while the third option is to find them an entirely new location.

    In any event, none of the options will be easily accomplished as new housing will have to be provided and the biggest hurdle will be to convince residents to move in the first place.

    Wang Thonglang district chief officer Thanita Phraewanich said the worst scenario for the residents is the fact that they do not have the financial means to relocate.

    But if the government is able to provide some support and they are relocated not too far away from where they were currently living then the process might prove relatively painless, she said.

    “You must remember that every one of these residents have personal attachments to their houses,”

    The BMA plans to relocate all homes located along the nine major klongs spread out within eight districts within the capital in order to facilitate the construction of the flood embankments.

    Residents along Klong Prem Pracha, Klong Bang Khaen and Klong Sam Wa will all face eviction as a result.

    But deputy professor Dr Chamlong Phothiboon, the dean of the Environmental Management and Development Faculty at the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), warned that all residents must be convinced to understand the necessity of the action as it is becoming evident that many are as yet unaware of the situation and will not want to move.

    If clear concise information is provided and they are treated fairly, people will understand that the embankments will provide flood prevention for all residents of Bangkok.

    He said officials must be sent to talk the matter over with the residents to judge if they are willing to move.

    The BMA and the National Housing Authority responsible for looking after the welfare of residents and must find new locations and housing for the planned relocation. What will be critical is the new location must provide at least an equal level of living standard as the former location, he said.

    In the past, similar plans to evict squatters along the canals were unsuccessful because past governments were unable to provide alternative housing for them.

    Presently, 2.4 billion baht has been set aside for the entire project and the BMA stresses that houses with legal permits and land titles will not be subjected to eviction.

    All other illegal squatters will have to move no matter how long they have lived there.

    The project is expected to begin in earnest this May and should be completed within four years.

    One canal resident Salakjit Tsaeharn said whatever part that the BMA wishes to demolish she would allow but she would not move because she was old and don’t have the means to build or buy a new home.

    She has been there for over 30 years.

    Canal squatters in capital to face forced eviction - Thai PBS English News

  2. #2
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    Sumocakewalk's Avatar
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    The BMA and the National Housing Authority responsible for looking after the welfare of residents and must find new locations and housing for the planned relocation. What will be critical is the new location must provide at least an equal level of living standard as the former location, he said.

    In the past, similar plans to evict squatters along the canals were unsuccessful because past governments were unable to provide alternative housing for them.
    It can't be that difficult to find some other place in Thailand with stinking filthy polluted canals to settle them on, can it?

  3. #3
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    Fishtail boat trips along these 'filthy stinking klongs', lined by squatter shanties, are actually one of the few tourist experiences left that are any pleasure to me in Bkk.

    I'm sure that all of the Klongs & swamps that have been filled in and turned into roads and housing estates are a far bigger contributor to the problem frankly- but the problem is real. C'est la vie.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sumocakewalk View Post
    The BMA and the National Housing Authority responsible for looking after the welfare of residents and must find new locations and housing for the planned relocation. What will be critical is the new location must provide at least an equal level of living standard as the former location, he said.

    In the past, similar plans to evict squatters along the canals were unsuccessful because past governments were unable to provide alternative housing for them.
    It can't be that difficult to find some other place in Thailand with stinking filthy polluted canals to settle them on, can it?
    Nor would it be difficult to just allow them to be.
    What's the problem - really?

  5. #5
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    So, which developer wants the eyesores removed from sight of his new development?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by thaimeme View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Sumocakewalk View Post
    The BMA and the National Housing Authority responsible for looking after the welfare of residents and must find new locations and housing for the planned relocation. What will be critical is the new location must provide at least an equal level of living standard as the former location, he said.

    In the past, similar plans to evict squatters along the canals were unsuccessful because past governments were unable to provide alternative housing for them.
    It can't be that difficult to find some other place in Thailand with stinking filthy polluted canals to settle them on, can it?
    Nor would it be difficult to just allow them to be.
    What's the problem - really?
    How about a compromise solution - I'm sure the current residents of the 'Grand Canal' development in Don Muang wouldn't mind a little extra company and their place already has klongs. Why not squeeze the 20,000 squatters in between and around all those nice single family homes? Looks like there's plenty of room for shanties there, and they've got the transport situation covered with the gondoliers, although I doubt they're genuine Venetians.



    Doesn't really matter to me either way, as long as I don't get caught in the cross fire between the BMA, the squatters, and possibly the Grand Canal home owners association.

  7. #7
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    In a recent survey along the entire 22 kilomtres stretch of Klong Ladprao canal, the BMA discovered that there are more than 3,000 homes along its banks housing more than 14,000 residents.
    i hope the news of the discovery of this new tribe will be released to the anthropological world soon ...

  8. #8
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    Eat the rich.


    Motherfuckers.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by thaimeme
    Nor would it be difficult to just allow them to be.
    What's the problem - really?
    Quote Originally Posted by Hans Mann
    So, which developer wants the eyesores removed from sight of his new development?
    Sounds about right

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Some of the old canal communities in Bangkok are quite charming. We've got one here in Chaing Mai which popped up in the last ten years or so. It is a festering ghetto, using the canal for laundry, bathing, and toilet.

    An observance. In Bangkok there seem to be an abundance of new flashy cars around the canal and railway squatters.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit
    charming
    Quote Originally Posted by misskit
    using the canal for laundry, bathing, and toilet.

  12. #12
    . Neverna's Avatar
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    Perhaps they can be relocated to grass verges between 3 lane highways, or under un-finished MRT concrete structures. Surely there are still some vacant.

  13. #13
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    Maybe they really are serious about flood prevention ?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by kingwilly View Post
    Maybe they really are serious about flood prevention ?
    hahahahahaha

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by kingwilly
    Maybe they really are serious about flood prevention ?

  16. #16
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    Sorry, did I miss this smile?

  17. #17
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hans Mann
    which developer wants the eyesores removed from sight of his new development?
    Must be a big one like สำนักงานทรัพย์สินส่วนพระมหากษัตริย์

    Could be ya know.

  18. #18
    I am in Jail

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    ^Well they do have the Say in central BKK so could well be right

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