The Supreme Administrative Court has upheld a lower court's ruling and dismissed 518 Chatuchak Market vendors’ complaints seeking an order to end the State Railways of Thailand's management of the popular weekend market.
The SRT, which owns the market's land, took over its management from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration after the latter's 30-year lease contract expired in 2012. The railway agency then decided to increase the monthly rental fees from 890 baht to 3,157 baht per stall, based on a new calculation by private land analysts.
Shop owners challenged the decision by taking the case to court, arguing that the SRT did not have direct authority to manage the market. They cited the Railway Act, which stipulates the state body can only operate businesses related to restaurants, railways and tourism.
The judge on Saturday agreed with the Central Administrative Court's ealrier decision to throw out the lawsuit on the ground that the vendors were not the damaged party and the SRT had the right to manage its own property.
The judge said after the BMA’s lease contract expired, the vendors were given two months to continue their businesses without being charged. They were later asked to decide if they wanted to renew the lease contracts. The complainants had the right to refuse if they were not happy with the new rental rates.
The complainants’ grievances were actually centred on the SRT’s rental increase and they claimed the agency had no legal authority to take over the market to justify their cause.
The court previously ordered the SRT to allow the vendors to operate under the old rental fees pending a final ruling. The decision has ended a four-year dispute over the rent.