In July 2014, Prawuth Wongsinil, head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)'s consumer and environmental protection office, said an investigation team found the skeletons of two people who might have been buried in the disputed areas more than 60 years ago.
The discovery of the skeletons now serves as key ancestral evidence for sea gypsies claiming ownership of the land, Mr Nirundorn said.
At present, 101 sea gypsies face eviction lawsuits, according to Sanit Saesua, a Chao Lay community member. Among them, two have already lost cases in the lower court.
"We [Chao Lay people] have been trying every possible way to prove we have inherited land from our ancestors. We have our own culture, language and a simple way of life," Mr Sanit said.
The DSI has conducted DNA tests on the skeletons and returned them to the sea gypsies for religious rites.