Military officers have intervened in a land conflict between investors and a seafarer minority community in Phuket after violent skirmishers yesterday.
Sataporn Pongpipatwattana, a journalist from Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS), at around 11 am on Thursday, 28 January 2016, posted on his facebook profile that military officers have intervened a confrontation between a group of Orang Laut villagers, a seafarer minority group refers to as Chao Lae in Thai, and a group of men reportedly hired by investors on Rawai Beach in Mueang District of the southern province of Phuket, a world famous holiday destination known for its iconic beaches.
Sataporn said that the military came in to maintain ‘order’ in the area.
At the same time the journalist reported that the Orang Laut villagers brought the ashes of their ancestors to perform a ceremonies on the beach.
The seafarer villagers demand the authorities to revoke the title deed which was issued in 1965 to the investors who claim ownership over the area, citing that from the DNA evidence gathered from the corpses buried in the area, their ancestors have settled in an area for hundred of years.
The skirmishes yesterday began as Rawai Beach seafarer community representatives were on their way to Phuket Provincial Hall to submit a petition to the Damrongtham Centre, one of the centres established to accept public complaints, to urge the authorities to protect their community and livelihood.
Members of the Orang Laut community reported that since Tuesday a group of men came with military and police officers to the beach and surrounded an area which investors have for years been attempting to use to develop lucrative projects.
The men allegedly working for the investors used an excavator to lift big rocks to seal off the entrance to the community while the military and police officers just looked on, added the seafarers.
Military officers talking to Orang Laut villagers on Rawai Beach in Phuket on 28 Januanry 2016 (photo from Sataporn Pongpipatwattana)