“This land is not for sale!”
Protestors gather near Bali Hai in response to rumors that public land had
been sold for commercial use.
Teerarak Suthathiwong
Rumors of public land near Bali Hai Pier being sold off to private
developers sparked a protest from Pattaya residents who still remember a
corruption case involving the waterfront property.
Resident Piya Piyamont, 57, led the Nov. 28 protest by dozens of residents
at Bali Hai Pier. They waved placards protesting any sale of public land to
private companies and demanded a meeting with city officials.
The 300 meters of property between the pier and the marine rescue center was
the center of a 1998 legal case that had acquired the land from the city.
Opponents filed a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission,
which brought corruption charges against a number of individuals. Fifteen
years later, the case is still in the courts, sitting at the court of
appeals level.
Unsubstantiated rumors that the land was now available for private sale
again sparked the protest. However, Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh
assured the protestors that was not the case. Ronakit said the land is still
tied up in the courts and cannot be developed until the suit is completed.
