Family Land Dispute Along Ping River Resolved: 70-Year-Old Former Monk Strikes Sister with Water Ladle

On April 27, a shocking incident occurred at a riverside food stall along the Ping River in Nong Pling Subdistrict, Mueang District, Kamphaeng Phet Province. Sixty-year-old Malay reported being assaulted by her 70-year-old brother Chalo, who recently disrobed from monastic life. Chalo came to claim rights to the land, strung a rope to mark the boundary, and threatened to use a gun if anyone touched it. When negotiations failed, he struck her head with a water ladle used for scooping soup, causing swelling.

Chalo argued that their father gave him the land to establish himself after leaving the monastery, despite his four siblings already receiving their shares with land titles. He claimed his sister's food stall encroached on his marked territory and that he intended to open a fishing bait shop there. When they could not reach an agreement, he lost his temper.

At the mediation meeting facilitated by Kamphaeng Phet's Social Development and Human Security Office, along with justice officials and Thannachoat On-kham, deputy mayor of Nong Pling municipality, and village leaders, Chalo admitted to using the ladle but claimed he acted under pressure and had been provoked first. He presented an ultimatum: his siblings either accept his rights, pay 1 million baht to buy him out, or agree to let the government reclaim the land.

Eventually, Chalo agreed to allow his relatives to continue their business but required the food stall be relocated to the proper restaurant area. Customers could park on his side, and he could develop his own shop there in the future. Both parties signed a written agreement to end the dispute and establish clear boundaries for their respective business areas, with officials warning Chalo that any further violence would result in legal action.