PATTAYA, THAILAND – More than 20 Norwegian residents of a housing estate near Pattaya filed a complaint in Banglamung over alleged legal violations and harassment by a new owner.
Dispute over ownership and lease contracts
The Thai-Norway Resort Village in the Nongprue subdistrict was originally established by a Norwegian developer and was aimed mainly at retired Norwegians who wanted to spend their later years in Pattaya. Foreign nationals in Thailand were not allowed to own land, so the residents bought only the houses, valued at about 3–4 million baht, and signed parallel 30-year land lease contracts exceeding 400,000 baht.
According to the community, about half of the lease term remained after roughly 15 years of residence. A representative handed over documents covering more than 50 households to the district office and called for urgent protection and an official review by state agencies.
Power shift and new management
After the death of the original Norwegian project developer, a Thai investor took over the estate and its management, which residents said marked the start of the conflict. They reported newly installed CCTV cameras and staff who photographed and filmed them, reportedly for security reasons.
Residents also stated that a legal entity had been created that now demanded community fees of 3,500 baht per household from more than 70 houses. They alleged that this new structure changed how the estate was managed and financed.
Fees, pool dispute and infrastructure
Among other points of contention was a communal swimming pool that residents said had been neglected. According to their account, they were told they would have to pay 600,000 baht collectively to renovate and reopen the facility.
The water supply was also described as problematic. Some houses were reportedly connected to official meters, while others had to use groundwater and pay an additional fee of 70 baht per unit. Sellers of houses were allegedly required to pay a “signature fee” of 200,000 baht when transferring properties.
Safety, barriers and complaints
Residents further criticized large speed bumps and remote-controlled entrance gates, for which not everyone had received access cards. They said emergency exits had been locked and elevators on upper floors taken out of service.
According to the community, this hit older and physically impaired residents particularly hard. They were said to rely on elevators and now felt severely restricted in their freedom of movement within the estate.
Role of authorities and next steps
The Norwegians stated that they had already filed more than nine complaints with Nongprue Police Station but had seen little progress. They were especially worried about the future extension of their land lease contracts, which would determine whether they could keep their homes.
Deputy district chief Peeraphong Sampru of Banglamung formally received the documents together with representatives of the Land Department and Nongprue municipality. He said authorities had already issued a written invitation to the project owner for a mediation meeting, but the owner had not appeared, thereby delaying any resolution.
Site inspection and mediation announced
Officials announced that they would conduct a site inspection at the estate in the coming week to examine the situation on the ground and assess appropriate legal steps. They said they wanted to see the conditions directly before deciding on further action.
The responsible agencies assured residents that the case would be handled fairly, in the public interest and in line with applicable law. They stated that the goal was to find a solution for the affected households and to address the issues raised in the complaint.