Does anyone in power REALLY care about Sea Gypsies?

The latest in the never ending saga of land for Sea Gypsies has reared its head again, this time at Koh Sireh, Tambon Rassada, Phuket, where a private ’investor’ has laid claim to land that has been used by Sea Gypsies for generations.

It is unbelievable and ironic, that government bodies in Thailand, both local and central can, on the one hand state the invaluable and essential tasks of preserving the Sea Gypsy culture and way of life and on the other hand allow greedy and unscrupulous business people to lay claim to land that has been home to Sea Gypsy communities for generations.

It has been proven, by Royal visits in 1958 and 1959 that the Sea Gypsy communities at Koh Sireh and Rawai were both thriving communities at that time and probably for many years previously. Surely therefore it can’t be so difficult to enforce what has been stated by central government so many times, that anyone claiming land rights, must first of all prove their ownership prior to the dates the Sea Gypsy Communities were established.

Nothing moves forward for the Sea Gypsies........

Their land, slowly but surely diminishes (The Rawai Sea Gypsy Community numbering over 2000 people are living on just 5% of the land they once occupied).

Their fishing rights are restricted to the point where it would be impossible to make a living in a safe manner.

Their austere living conditions ignored.

Their human rights?...........It’s doubtful they are considered having any!

These are the essential points which need to be addressed NOW! whilst you still have living, breathing communities....... or maybe it would be easier for all concerned to allow the Sea Gypsy Communities to disappear completely THEN spend millions of Baht building Culture Centres to show how Sea Gypsy life used to be!

A grand plan for the 'forgotten'.......

.......or an ideal place for homeless Sea Gypsies to beg!

The Culture Centre in building.

A memorial to the Sea Gypsies?

WAKE UP - AND ACT NOW.    

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Sea Gypsies under siege from owners

The Phuket Provincial Court is facing a long series of lawsuits aimed at getting members of the Rawai Sea Gypsy village – the largest such village in Phuket – evicted from land claimed by a local businessman who bought the land four years ago.

Over 2,000 Sea Gypsy residents of the village could be affected by this action.

Businessman Piyawat Sangiamkul, who owns the Baan Raya Resort & Spa on Racha Yai Island, is the second person to claim a portion of the Sea Gypsy Land. The first was Suthep Nukdee, who won two cases against brothers-in-law Maren and Anan Bangjak, when they unwittingly signed a document which, it transpired was a lease, effectively losing their right of ownership of the land. The courts upheld the decision that the two men were leasing the land. 

The ‘lease’ was signed by way of a thumb print as neither men, 

like many of the Sea Gypsies can read or write.

A lawyer representing the villagers, Puwanark Buaniam has already lodged an appeal on behalf of Maren and Anan Bangjak and is awaiting a court date for the appeal.

Niran Yangpan, is the representative of the Sea Gypsy community and was at pains to point out that the village has been the home of Sea Gypsies for over 100 years.

Records show the Sea Gypsies were occupying the land for the past 100 years, but word of mouth indicates, the gypsies could have been resident there for 500 years.

Landowners claim they have deeds issued since 1971, 

however, there is photographic proof of HM the King visiting the village in 1959.

Mr. Piyawat claims he purchased the land at an Auction from the Legal Execution Department of the  Bank of Ayutthaya which handles auctions of property against defaulted loans.

Mr Piyawat also claims he didn’t know the land was occupied and didn’t make any inspection of the land prior to the purchase. 

In reality, Mr Piyawat was fully aware of the existence of the village and occupants as he had used their services for a number of years to transfer goods from Rawai to Raya Yai.

The Sea Gypsies of Rawai lead a simple existence, yet have centuries old traditions as a fishing community. This could all be lost due to greed and corruption and no-one in authority seems to care.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the value of the land in question and if the courts concede to this case with Mr Piyawat (of Raya Yai fame) it will open the flood gates for the other 6 landowners, effectively evicting the entire Gypsy Village.

The Sea Gypsies make no financial gains from the land, other than a handful of fish and handicraft stalls to help make ends meet and of course, a place to live for over 2,000 residents.

Previous governments have made ‘noises’ in support of the Gypsies, but do very little to help when it’s really needed.

Maybe it’s time HM the King paid another visit, if not to the land, then to the issue and settle the matter once and for all.

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Bangkok Land Officials Swarm Phuket.............

but are they swarming the most important areas?.

No fewer than 366 officials have been allocated to investigate privately owned land along the border of the Marine National Park. They are all part of the ''Thai Pure Heart'' campaign were the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption, the Interior Ministry, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Department of Special Investigation, the Department of Natural Resources & Environment and the Agricultural Land Reform Office. The Officers will be split into 36 teams with 6 officers to each team and be allocated to specific areas by way of a lottery, presumably to ensure there is no collusion with the landowners in question.

Bangkok anti-corruption team (pictures from Phuket Wan)

With all these resources at hand, would it have been out of the question to allocate just one of the 36 teams to investigate the land entitlement of the Sea Gypsy Community in Rawai.

Land presently occupied – shown in red. Land previously occupied – shown in yellow.

In fact, I would go as far as to suggest, that in view of the fact that the questionable land entitlement by a handful of local business people, would affect upwards of 2,000 Sea Gypsy residents, that it should be No. 1 on their list of priorities.

Despite ‘noises’ being made by various Governments and Government Departments, to protect the Sea Gypsies, the whole issue, it would appear, has been filed in the ‘difficult tray’, in the hope that if it’s left there long enough, the problem will go away or be forgotten.

Regardless of the fact that the Sea Gypsies and their forefathers have lived in Thailand for many years, they were only recently given the opportunity to get a Thai ID-card and in that respect, 

a step towards recognition as Thai citizens.

One can assume, that it would have been very difficult, if not impossible, for the sea gypsies to have had even the slightest chance to have laid claim to the land on which they have lived for well over 100 years before becoming Thai citizens. Non-Thais are, as we all know not allowed to own land in Thailand.

Maybe it’s true to say that the Sea Gypsies of Thailand, have no claim to their land, their homes, their livelihoods or to their Basic Human Rights! Unless someone out there is prepared to fight their case.

Is General Surin the only one who cares?

Community Organizations Development Institute (CODI) President Gen Surin Pikulthong believes that the Government should officially consider that the areas where the Sea Gypsies are living are an integral part of Thailand instead of being considered a special cultural area for the ethnic minorities.

"If this is considered a special area, then there will be some relaxation in the short term, but, once the relaxation is over, then everything will return to the way it was. The sea gypsies will be back in trouble again," said Gen Surin.

He suggested that the government should adopt a policy officially recognising all Sea Gypsy communities in Thailand, and that they belong to the country so that they would be entitled to their basic rights.

 (MCOT online news)

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