Din Daeng tenants protest
The tenants of 20 Din Daeng tenements destined for demolition yesterday rallied in opposition to the loss of their homes and called for authorities to repair their decrepit buildings.
They marched to the National Housing Authority's Din Daeng office to hand a protest letter to the NHA governor via office director Sunee Sakkhanont. Sunee invited them to a meeting with the NHA tomorrow to express their opinions. Dusit Yodsri, the residents' representative, said they would act within the law and not stage a demonstration in front of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry or Government House. He said residents would discuss the matter this evening at the public housing estate and would go to the meeting with the NHA because he believed a solution could be found if people listened to one another. Former Din Daeng councillor Apichat Halamjiak distributed Jatukam Ramathep amulets of a "Mai Toop Flats" ("No Razing of Flats") series to residents. Wallop Ploythabthim, the permanent secretary of the ministry, said in his capacity as NHA president that the NHA's resolution to tear down the 20 tenements had been meant to recognise their dangerous state but it would not happen right away. He said the apartments would be bulldozed after the NHA and tenants reached agreement on compensation and temporary dwellings, which should take over a year. The residents' request to stay for five to 10 more years to adjust to the change could possibly be met because it might take that long to bulldoze some of the buildings, while the NHA could do some partial repairs, he said.
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