Landowner lays claim to Laem Hin access road

KOH KAEW: Irate residents in Koh Kaew on Monday filed a petition to Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit calling for aid in their ongoing dispute with a landlord over ownership of the road that leads to Laem Hin Pier.

For about an hour on Friday, Apichart Kitprasarn blocked the road with a metal barrier, claiming that he was entitled to do so because the road passes through his property, said Koh Kaew Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President Kuakiat Jitkua.

Apichart closed the road because he wants to collect parking fees from tourists and locals who would be forced to leave their vehicles on his property while catching one of the many longtail boats to Koh Maphrao from the pier, he added.

On Monday, about 20 villagers requested Gov Niran find the relevant title deeds to check if the road is public domain.

Only the land around the road was sold to Apichart, said Sa-nguan Khumbaan, Phu Yai Baan (village chief) of Koh Kaew Village 7.

Gov Niran accepted the petition and said that he will assign officers to look into the case.

K. Apichart is allowing people to use the road as normal while the relevant title deeds are located, said K. Kuakiat.

“If the road does belong to K. Apichart, then we need him to agree to let people use it as before,” he added.