PHUKET: An Australian expat resident and his Thai wife fear that illegal terracing of a hill behind their house will one day lead to a landslide.
The Nai Harn couple yesterday showed Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak the precarious state of the hillside behind their house in southern Phuket and asked local officials to act.
''We live in fear of the hillside sliding down into our backyard,'' Mr Nasr told Phuketwan. ''We've complained often and loudly, but so far there has been little official action.''
Vice Governor Somkiet and his party of local officials, including Rawai mayor Aroon Solos, saw the hillside first-hand yesterday before giving the owner of the illegal terracing 15 days to fix the problem.
Initially the owner will have to prevent soil being washed by monsoon rains down into the neighboring homes, prevent storm water gushing into the homes, and ensure storm drains remain unblocked.
Photographs show problems in the past experience by Mr Nasr and his neighbors.
Rawai council agrees that the terracing has been done without permission and has ruled that the land owner needs to act to protect his neighbors.
It is not clear yet whether the owner, Somjai Areerob, will be prosecuted for breaching the law.
Mr Nasr said he feared that local political connections may limit the action taken to fix the problem.
He said he would go straight to the headquarters of the governing Pheu Thai party in Bangkok to complain unless officials acted fast.
The Nai Harn couple yesterday showed Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak the precarious state of the hillside behind their house in southern Phuket and asked local officials to act.
''We live in fear of the hillside sliding down into our backyard,'' Mr Nasr told Phuketwan. ''We've complained often and loudly, but so far there has been little official action.''
Vice Governor Somkiet and his party of local officials, including Rawai mayor Aroon Solos, saw the hillside first-hand yesterday before giving the owner of the illegal terracing 15 days to fix the problem.
Initially the owner will have to prevent soil being washed by monsoon rains down into the neighboring homes, prevent storm water gushing into the homes, and ensure storm drains remain unblocked.
Photographs show problems in the past experience by Mr Nasr and his neighbors.
Rawai council agrees that the terracing has been done without permission and has ruled that the land owner needs to act to protect his neighbors.
It is not clear yet whether the owner, Somjai Areerob, will be prosecuted for breaching the law.
Mr Nasr said he feared that local political connections may limit the action taken to fix the problem.
He said he would go straight to the headquarters of the governing Pheu Thai party in Bangkok to complain unless officials acted fast.
Sure he has more than a valid case but a foreigner publicly gaining the upper hand over a local bigwig ?
Good luck with that.
Posted by Andrew on September 7, 2012 15:35