NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Residents in Tambon Phimai Municipality of Phimai district have raised an opposition to the Fine Arts Department's move to declare a 2,658-rai area an ancient site, saying that they have lived in the area for generations with proper legal documents to claim the land occupation right.
About 400 residents gathered at the municipality office on Sunday morning to raise the opposition after a total of 1,665 people received a letter from Kachorn Mukmeekha, deputy director-general of the Fine Arts Department, informing them that the department would proceed to declare the area an ancient site.
In the letter, the department said had notified the residents that it would declare an area covering 2,658 rai and 25 square wah in Phimai district an ancient area under Section 7 of the 1961 law on ancient sites, art objects and museums. The residents were told to file a petition with the Administrative Court in 30 days of receiving the notification if they objected to department's move.
According to the letter, now that the 30-day period was over without an objection the department would proceed to declare the area an ancient site in the Royal Gazette.
Danai Tangjerdja, the mayor of Tambon Phimai Municipality, said the department's letter had worried the residents as more than 2,600 households would be affected. He said the residents claimed they had been living in the area for generations with proper legal documents to show their land occupation right.
Mr Danai said the residents resolved to seek a negotiation with local officials concerned before submitting a petition with the government and the administrative court.
