Housing project along Lat Phrao canal faces delay

BANGKOK, May 16 (TNA) - Army commander-in-chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart concede that the Ban Mun Kong บ้านมั่นคง housing projects along the Lat Phrao canal faces delay as many residents refuse to relocate from their old wooden houses, encroaching into the canal. Ban Mun Kong housing project is to offer low –interest loan for low -income people, who live in the structures, encroaching the canal to move into brand-new houses, to be built further in land from the canal. They are evicted from the public land to clear the sites for the construction of anti-flood embankment along the Lat Phrao canal. Gen Chalermchai on Tuesday inspected the project site in Sai Mai district. Since the project began in 2016, he said about 36 per cent of the project has completed so far and it is behind schedule. Out of all 6,000 houses, encroaching into the canal, about 2,000 houses were dismantled. The new housing project, for those who agree to relocate is aimed to construct 7,000 houses for them. So far, about 2,600 houses have been built. Meanwhile, the authorities targets to construct anti-flood embankment along the canal for the distance of 46 kilometres. The work has completed for 15 kilometres, so far. He said the project is not likely to be finished next year as planned and he cannot set the timeframe for that. Finally, legal action may be taken if needed, he added. The housing project for low-income people along the Lat Phrao canal is aimed to improve the quality of life of people in 50 canal-side slum communities and to address Bangkok’s flood problems. (TNA)