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Article

31 Oct 2016

Author:
Kongpob Areerat, Prachatai (Thailand)

Thailand: Locals fear eviction & destruction of traditional livelihoods as junta moves ahead with Songkhla special economic zone

"Locals pay the price as junta pushes for Songkhla SEZ"

In a bid to lure investors, Thailand’s junta plans to evict some 300 citizens from their homes to construct a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the southern province of Songkhla...

600 rai of land has already been paved during the first phase of SEZ construction after the authorities evicted about 39 people from the plot...The second phase of construction, however, will involve a further 400 rai on which there are some 259 people still living. Most remain adamant not to move...

[The community leader said] that since the announcement of the SEZ plan, public officers — along with armed soldiers — have been visiting villagers’ houses repeatedly to order them to leave the area. Villagers feel intimidated by such visits…

“Only 39 people whom we have proven have been living in the area for more than 10 years and who have low income will be entitled to residences in a new resettlement area close to the new municipality office. Each of them will be given about 50 square metres or a room if we decide the build row houses for them instead,” said the Mayor. “As for the rest, if they don’t want to move we will have no choice but to file charges against them.”...

About 50 kilometers from Sadao District, the residents of the quiet Haad Son Village of Thaling Chan Subdistrict, Jana District are now also restless. The Thai junta has reintroduced its plan to build the Second Deep Sea Port of Songkhla in the area as a part of its mega development projects in the region…

But for villagers in Jana, most of whom are fishermen, the 11 billion baht port project will be the death of the local fishing community…