Mayor says island protesters misinformed; land concession, deforestation legal
Chaiyot Poopapanapong
Pattaya officials have halted development of four plots
of land on Koh Larn as inspectors investigate protests by island residents
that private companies had violated property boundaries and environmental
laws.
Following a Pattaya City Hall protest by 660 islanders
Oct. 5, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, members of
the city council and various bureaucrats inspected the disputed land Oct.
14. Together with Koh Larn Village Chief Booncherd Boonying, they surveyed
320 rai of hillside above Samae Beach that has been deforested and flattened
to make way for condominium and resort.
Residents had protested that the land was razed
improperly and that the trees removed had been planted as part of royal
reforestation project. However, Itthiphol informed villagers they were wrong
and that the royally protected trees were elsewhere on the island. Itthiphol
added that Pattaya Pavillion Grand Condotel Co., which had leased the land
for 25 years from the city, had stayed inside its allotted boundaries.
Nonetheless, the mayor said he has suspended development
of the site as construction plans may violate building codes because the
hillside slopes more than 35 degrees. He said development of this project,
and three others, will be halted until city officials inspect each site,
review development plans and land concession contracts.
In a meeting with about 500 Koh Larn residents, the mayor
said it appeared locals were not aware of the steps Chonburi Province has
taken to develop the island, leading to misunderstandings and anger. He told
them the provincial government had split 320 rai of land into four plots
that could be rented for 5,000-6,000 baht per rai and privately developed.
Tree removal was permitted although, acknowledging residents’ anger, the
mayor said he’d question Pattaya Pavilion about its aggressive tree-removal
tactics.
Koh Larn islanders, unhappy to be told the city had
blessed the protests they disapproved of, further complained about more
development along Nual Beach, where more than 100 rai have been cleared to
construct a large commercial complex.
Locals pined about the days when the back side of Koh
Larn was a peaceful, beautiful beach and expressed fears that the previously
public Satharan Road might be privatized, impeding access to the shoreline.
They further questioned whether the foundation of the building now in place
sits the legally required 20 meters from the sea.
Itthiphol again told the residents the land concession
was legal but that construction has been suspended while the city
investigates property boundaries and the distance from the water. If
violations are found, he said, the contract will be terminated.
