Landowner battles coach company over unpaid rent in Bangkok (video)

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

A landowner is embroiled in a dispute with a coach company that has not paid its rent for years and refused to vacate the premises. Despite a court order to leave, the company’s owners remain defiant, citing legal technicalities.

The conflict began when a TikTok user, @yokeie, posted about a coach company failing to pay rent for its parking and office space. The company’s owners continued to live in the office, leading to significant unpaid taxes for the property owner.

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Somnuk, a son-in-law involved with the land, revealed more details. From late 1996 to 1997, the coach company initially rented the property for parking and office purposes. At the time, coaches would transport passengers from Mo Chit to the location, where tickets were sold before departure.

The land in question belongs to Chup, the eldest of the Diseyen family siblings, which includes Chup, Chan, Chin, Chit, Chodchoi, and Chuang. Chup, who had no family, passed away in 1990. Chuang took care of the property until his death in 2019. Chodchoi, Chup’s sister and the estate manager delegated the management to her son, Chanyut.

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Initially, there were no issues with the rental payments, which were 30,000 baht per month. However, by 2014 to 2015, the payments became irregular. By late 2016, the coach company started to have financial problems.

Even after persistent follow-ups, rent payments became sporadic, and by 2018, they had ceased altogether. The company likely went bankrupt and ceased operations around 2020 to 2021, leaving seven to eight immobile coaches on the property. Despite this, the company owners, a group of four, continued to live in the single-story office.

Futile talks

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Efforts to negotiate with the coach company were futile. According to Somnuk, they responded dismissively.

“I won’t talk to you. You have no right. The people with rights are Chup and Chodchoi. You are not named on the deed.”

They claimed legal expertise, being law graduates themselves. This led to a court case where the court ruled that the company owed three years of unpaid rent, initially agreeing to a settlement of 1 million baht to be paid in monthly instalments of at least 50,000 baht. However, the company did not comply with the court’s orders to vacate the premises or pay the owed amount, leading to further legal actions, including eviction and asset seizure.

The court has repeatedly detained the individuals involved but they secured bail several times. This time, Somnuk’s side plans to oppose bail. The coach company argued in court that the landowners neglected the property, justifying their continued occupation. However, Somnuk countered that they were present frequently but were previously unable to access the property because the coach company had locked the gate.

The landowners now face additional problems as the Revenue Department demands local taxes. The coach company’s non-payment of rent for four to five years has resulted in nearly 100,000 baht in unpaid taxes for the landowners.

Two weeks ago, following the court order, the landowners removed the gate but avoided entering the property to prevent any confrontations, reported KhaoSod.

The story continues without a resolution.

@yokeie

ดื้อดาน #หนุ่มกรรชัย #คดีความ #ประเทศไทย #รถทัวร์ #อินทราทัวร์ #ช่วยด้วย #โหนกระแส

♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – YOK – YOK

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Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Originally from Hong Kong, Puntid moved to Bangkok in 2020 to pursue further studies in translation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong. Puntid spent 8 years living in Manchester, UK. Before joining The Thaiger, Puntid has been a freelance translator for 2 years. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and listening to music, as well as writing short fiction and poetry.

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