Hua Hin plans daily site visits as waterfront demolition talks end without agreement
Hua Hin Municipality plans to visit the waterfront demolition site daily after talks on Thursday, 22 October, ended without agreement on a proposed extension until 22 November.
Mayor Nopporn Wutthikul said the municipality would proceed with enforcement under the existing timetable after those occupying the area declined to sign a written commitment to comply with the proposed extension.
Water and electricity supplies are scheduled to be disconnected on 29 October. Plans also include installing concrete barriers to prevent the area from being reoccupied.
Speaking after the meeting, Mayor Nopporn said officials would change their approach from weekly site visits to daily attendance because of the time remaining to complete the work.
“However, the operational plan will probably change. Previously, we went to the site every Friday, once a week. We will now change that to every day,” he said.
“We need to work there every day because there is relatively little time left, approximately three months. I believe that if we work only one day a week, there is no way we will finish in time.”
The discussions concerned buildings between Hua Hin Fishing Pier and the Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine, covering 15 cases under municipal jurisdiction, alongside resorts, accommodation establishments and restaurants in areas overseen by the Marine Department.
National Human Rights Commissioner Sayamol Kaiyoorawong, Prachuap Khiri Khan Deputy Governor Phanphat Sitthisak, the mayor and representatives of relevant agencies attended the meeting at the municipal offices.
According to Mayor Nopporn, the commissioner and provincial authorities proposed giving those occupying the area until 22 November. He said the municipality had no objection in principle but wanted them to sign a commitment to comply with the meeting’s resolution.
“In the end, the people occupying the area refused to sign. The municipality therefore could not proceed with that proposal,” he said.
The mayor said previous instances in which occupants had signed documents and subsequently changed their position had left him uncertain whether an agreement would be honoured.
“Ultimately, we were unable to reach an agreement. The municipality maintains that it will act in accordance with the law and the Supreme Administrative Court’s judgment, which upheld the municipality’s orders as lawful.”
Nopporn said he was arranging a meeting of relevant agencies for Thursday, 29 October, to coordinate the next stage of enforcement.
“We will notify the relevant agencies, including the police, the electricity authority, the land office and the Internal Security Operations Command, so that they can join the municipality and the contractor on site to carry out the demolition,” he said.
He said almost a month had already passed and the contractor needed approximately 120 days to complete the work.
Sayamol said the municipality could continue implementing the demolition order while the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) examined enforcement procedures and protections for affected residents.
“The municipality may proceed according to the Administrative Court’s ruling, as the NHRC does not interfere with court orders,” she said.
“However, the reason I arranged to speak with the petitioners, the municipality and provincial authorities is to allow those whose rights are affected to participate in joint consultations during the demolition process, avoiding conflict.”
Thursday’s talks followed the postponement of demolition work planned for 16 October after the NHRC requested a delay while it examined residents’ complaints.
Nopporn said he received the commission’s letter late on 15 October. NHRC representatives visited the site and spoke with residents on 21 October, before meeting government agencies the following morning. Provincial representatives, public prosecutors and municipal officials then held afternoon discussions with those occupying the waterfront area.