Villagers fight to save klong

BANG TAO: About 30 villagers are fighting to preserve a public klong [canal] they say is being filled in by a private company against their wishes. Villagers of Baan Bang Tao submitted a complaint to the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) at an extraordinary meeting yesterday. The villagers say 10 fishing boats could once park in the klong behind Bangtao Beach Cottage, but a private company wanting to expand its land had filled in the canal. Now only three boats can tie up. Seri Soison, chairman of the Bang Tao Long Tail Boat Club, told the Gazette, “What we need is the old klong back. We don’t want the new access to the sea, which is busy being built, because it will flood in the monsoon season for sure.” The OrBorTor ordered all work on the klong to be stopped and agreed to inspect the site and make a decision within seven days.