Housing problems worsen for the poor

Written by changthai11 on Monday, October 6th, 2008

LAMPHAI INTATHEP

The problem of permanent housing for the poor is said to be worsening because of fewer job opportunities brought about by the economic slowdown.

Around 1,000 slum dwellers under the Four Regions Slum Network will march from the Democracy Monument to the United Nations Building to submit their recommendations on how the world body could help improve their living conditions and to mark the 40th anniversary of World Habitat Day today.

They also plan to go to the Social Development and Human Security Ministry to hand them a copy of the recommendations.

Prathin Wekhawakyanon, the chairperson of the network, said one of their suggestions to the UN is to closely watch the government over its recent decision to continue the Ban Mankong housing project.

Since 1968, the UN has observed the first Monday of each October as World Habitat Day - making Harmonious Cities its theme this year - in order to draw global attention to the issues of inadequate housing.

Today, 1.6 billion people are being inadequately sheltered around the world, with one billion, or more than half of them, dwelling in slums in the Asia-Pacific region alone. Bangkok slums are hosting at least 100,000 of them.

Mr Prathin said the group was concerned the government and the new Bangkok governor would stick to the policy of the Samak Sundaravej government to relocate the 1,700 slums out of Bangkok just to create more public parks.

To dismantle and move the slum communities to areas outside the city is an unacceptable policy as it could not bring the expected environment improvements so desired by those running City Hall. By moving them far away from the city, slum dwellers would be deprived of employment, food, education, and access to basic infrastructure and services, he said.

The Community Organisation Development Institute, known as Codi, says that the Ban Mankong project, which was launched by the Thaksin Shinawatra administration in 2003, succeeded in helping 1,251 communities, or 76,792 families countrywide, to secure permanent homes.

The Human Security and Social Development Ministry plans to fulfil the housing needs of the poorest 42,870 families countrywide by the end of next year.

Most slum dwellers are not Bangkokians and they move from their hometowns in the countryside to the cities because of poverty and unemployment.