Chief Ombudsman hears Phuket complaints
PHUKET CITY: Phuket people’s top source of grief were problems stemming from land, Chief Ombudsman Gen Theeradej Meepien told reporters after two days of hearing complaints from Phuket residents.
Gen Theeradej and his staff heard complaints from local people and held public information sessions explaining the role of the Ombudsman’s Office at the Phuket Merlin Hotel on June 3 and 4.
“This seminar and exhibition explains the authority and function of the Ombudsman’s office and affiliated independent offices. The Ombudsman’s office checks that the government works toward achieving the best benefit for the people. We also investigate claims of unfair treatment by government officers,” he said.
“We work together with many independent offices, including the National Counter Corruption Commission, the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand and the Election Commission of Thailand,” he added.
“Each year, we visit every region in the country. Most of the complaints we have received are about land problems, such as problems with land title deeds. Other common complaints have been about police and government officers,” said Gen Theeradej.
Pramot Chotmongkol, of the Ombudsman’s Office in Bangkok, said, “During this session in Phuket, 10 complaints have been filed with us. Three of those involve land: one is about encroachment, another about the Land Office issuing a title deed late and the other is about unfair compensation for land resumed by the government.”
“Since 2000, we have received 18,092 complaints. Of those, we have investigated and resolved 17,179 claims,” he added.
