The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has announced it is taking tough action against encroachers on its land in Bangkok to ensure safety for the general public in adjacent communities.
The SRT is targeting a clean-up of land that serves as housing communities for its employees as well as train operation zones in the Makkasan, Bang Sue and Chitralada areas.
Somyut Rueanngam, deputy director for train operations who chairs a committee to handle land encroachment, said SRT governor Nirut Maneepun has issued a directive to tackle the problem.
Work will soon commence to remove the encroachers and take back the land so the SRT can develop it while also improving the quality of life of its employees.
The work will begin at the Kilometre Marker 11.
"People have illegally occupied these areas for a long time. They have created squalid conditions around the communities and clogged water drainage pipes, contributing to the flooding problem," he said.
Mr Somyut added the crime rate has also gone up, as a number of other public health and safety issues have also been raised.
He said those issues have put the lives and assets of SRT employees and those living in adjacent neighbourhoods at risk.
"It is necessary for the SRT to straighten out the land utilisation [issue]," said Mr Somyut.
He said a clear boundary for the housing communities would be drawn up, while hawkers and vendors who had set up shop illegally would be dealt with.
The plan also involves solving traffic congestion by dredging the water drainage system, which would likewise improve the quality of life for community residents.
The directive will help put an end to the long-standing problem of land encroachment and allow the SRT to commercially develop its land and generate revenue, said Mr Somyut.