ISOC steps in at Nui Beach
Rear-Admiral Tinnakorn Kanjantamee, Deputy Director of the Phuket branch of Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), which serves as the political arm of the Thai military, led an inspection visit to Nui Beach on May 28 to address a land dispute after the vicious assault at the beach late last month.
The incident, on May 23, drew widespread media attention and tarnished Phuket’s image, said an official report of the inspection.
The assault at Nui Beach broke out after a heated dispute over two claimed plots of land at the touristpopular beach.
Police have charged one of the main assailants, Chalothorn ‘Boy’ Chotipanang, with assault and at last report were to charge at least three others for their role in the attack.
During his visit to the beach, R/Adm Tinnakorn was joined by Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee, Karon Police Chief Police Col Khunadet Na Nongkhai, Phuket Forestry Center Director Sorasak Ranantan, representatives from the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) and Phuket Land Office along with the Mueang Phuket District Chief; local village headmen; and other relevant agencies.
The conflict on May 23 centred around an 18-rai plot at Nui Beach and an adjacent 68-rai plot designated as ALRO land, explained R/Adm Tinnakorn.
The altercation between claimants drew significant public attention, prompting local authorities to take swift action to prevent further incidents and clarify land boundaries, he added.
Present at the site for the inspection yesterday were Singha Pengkaew, also known as ‘Sgt Laem’, who claims ownership of the 18-rai plot, and Chalothorn ‘Boy’ Chotipanang, who acts as land caretaker for Thana Chotipanang, who claims ownership of the 68-rai plot of ALRO land.
“The Governor of Phuket is concerned about this issue and has assigned a team to inspect the area. He has issued a policy to strictly enforce the law,” R/Adm Tinnakorn said.
During the visit, officials from the forestry department, provincial land office, and provincial land reform office provided clear information and a roadmap for resolving the problems with both plots of land, as there was still uncertainty.
After discussions, a preliminary agreement was reached for each party to remain in their respective locations until the boundaries were clarified, R/Adm Tinnakorn explained.
The Phuket ALRO office and related agencies were to conduct a survey on Wednesday this week (June 5), he added.
Phuket MP Chalermphong stated that the inspection of the disputed area at Nui Beach was crucial.
“The boundary of the 18-rai area in the forest, currently claimed by some individuals, needs to be clarified,” he said.
“Any lawsuits arising from this dispute will proceed through the legal process. The aim is to avoid damaging the image of Phuket as a world-famous tourist destination, and all parties are urged to exercise their rights legally,” he added.
“Claimants of ownership ALRO land in the area will need to identify their claimed sections, as the existing map from the ALRO is already clear. This will help prepare an accurate map of the disputed area,” he said.
“This site visit aims to resolve the long-standing land dispute, which has frequently led to conflicts, including recent physical altercations reported in the media, negatively affecting Phuket’s image as a tourist destination,” Mr Chalermpong said.
HISTORY OF ALRO ABUSE The land in dispute at Nui Beach is administered by the government agency ALRO, better known by its Thai initials ‘SorPorKor’.
The ALRO programme was enacted in 1975 with the aim of distributing degraded forest tracts to poor and landless farmers to harvest crops. The land that ALRO administers is referred to as SorPorKor land.
Under the ALRO programme, each qualified farmer was entitled to a maximum of 50 rai of land. The land cannot be sold but it can be handed down to their children.
Over the years many people abused the programme by developing their allocated land to house commercial buildings, leading to officials in 2020 to expand the allowed use of ALRO land beyond farming.
The new rule now allows 12 uses: farming, petrol station, drinking water plant, market place, vehicle dealership, retail shop, post office, healthcare facility, restaurant, school, apartment complex and food processing plant.