Sudarat Laksiriroj, who has been renting two properties from the university in the old Sam Yan Market area for over 40 years, explains her ongoing legal battles and the effect of all the changes on business.
Chula gave us a first eviction notice 16 years ago. But then they let us stay. In 2007, they sent a lawyer, who brought us all to the court and made us sign a moving consent document. We all signed and didn’t really pay attention because we thought they would just let us stay like last time. We paid our rent like normal for a year and right after that, they told us we could only stay until June 2009. Most of us didn’t have anywhere else to go, so we stayed until the end of that year. Around May 2010, I found a notice on my other house, saying that according to the 2007 contract, they had the right to take over the other property I also rent in Sam Yan. I didn’t believe it at first because I’ve never owed rent for that house in the 40 years I’ve been there.

Many other tenants and I decided to hire a lawyer and thought we could fight and ask for another three-year contract. Chula just brought up that 2007 contract, as it states that Chula has the right to take possession if I didn’t move by their deadline. I found a new space to rent and moved as quick as I could, but then Chula told me that they were going to charge us B400,000 as a late leaving fee. I couldn’t take it. I don’t have that much money, so I asked them if they will accept B100,000. This issue is still going on.

My sales are lot less since the old market was torn down, and also because some old customers don’t know that we’ve reopened nearby. I understand that Chula has the right to have their land back, but they shouldn’t have been this cruel to us. We are innocent people trying to make a living and we didn’t really understand what we signed. I’ve lived here since I was born. So I’m bound to the place and feel very sad that everything has changed.