SONGKHLA, Thailand – Social Development and Human Security Minister Nikorn Soemklang has overseen housing and quality-of-life initiatives for communities impacted by railway development projects in southern Thailand. During the visit to Songkhla for the mobile cabinet meeting, the Minister presided over a ceremony to deliver the first phase of secure housing units to 38 households in the Prathan Kiriwat Community, Phatong Subdistrict, Hat Yai District.
Chalermsri Radakul, Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Community Organizations Development Institute (CODI), reported on the progress of the government’s housing assistance program. Approved by the Cabinet on March 14, 2023, the program allocates 7.72 billion baht for 2023–2027 to address housing challenges in 300 communities across 35 provinces, benefiting 27,084 households. Railway development in southern Thailand has affected 152 communities and 15,168 households across nine provinces. Songkhla has the highest number of affected households, with 8,716 in 76 communities. To date, CODI has supported 30 housing projects in the South, benefiting 1,783 households with a total budget exceeding 209 million baht.
At the event, the Minister outlined four key strategies under the framework of “Restoring Quality of Life and Securing Housing Rights for Railway Communities in Southern Thailand.” The first strategy focuses on strengthening land and housing security by accelerating land lease rights and promoting the “Phatong Model” as a prototype for land acquisition and cooperative housing. The second aims to improve quality of life through integrated welfare, healthcare, and support services for vulnerable groups, including children, older persons, and people with disabilities.
The third strategy promotes community-based economic development by turning local knowledge into sustainable income through product standardization, improved packaging, digital marketing, and agricultural initiatives. The fourth aims to expand learning centers and community networks, positioning Phatong as a hub for sharing expertise in cooperative management, savings systems, and land administration with other railway-affected communities. The Minister also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to seeking a five-year extension of the “Housing Assistance Program for Low-Income Communities Affected by Railway Development” for 2028–2032. This extension would allow CODI to continue supporting and funding more than 19,000 remaining affected households nationwide. (NNT)
