Erection of fence angers Phuket market vendors on Koh Siray

PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Siwaporn Chuasawad held a meeting at Provincial Hall yesterday over an erection on Koh Siray of a fence that is alleged to have damaged the income of vendors in a local market.

At the meeting, among others, were concerned officials, vendor leader Sontaya Chulpum, and a representative of Siam Dock Yard Co (SDYC) who had installed the fence. The vendors claim that the fence is causing traffic jams and impeding access to the market in which they operate, thereby diminishing their sales.

“We reported that the company had built that fence and we asked them to remove it, but they just ignore us, so now we want to allow officials to help us by removing it so as to avoid further trouble,” said Mr Sontaya.

The land is owned by the OrBorJor Phuket (Provincial Administration Organization) who leased it to the company for dock yard rentals. The vendors then rented the land from SDYC.

Therefore, the vendors are asking the officials to examine the process involved when this company rented the land from the OrBorJor, as the vendors want to know if it was a ‘correct process’ or not. They also want the OrBorJor to manage the land by themselves and to bar SDYC from renting it out.

Meanwhile, an SDYC representative says it was necessary to build the fence to ‘better organize’ the area.

“We will probably open some part of the fence, but officials will go there first to inspect the area on June 21,” said the vice governor to Gazette reporters after the meeting.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong