I have a strong hunch that the moving of these NPCs was related to the PS2 NPC dialog menu freezing bug that we used to see so very long ago in Whitegate when talking to the ISP/coin dispenser and Assault counters.

I just talked with Trilok in Port Bastok and didn't get frozen up for the first time since those synergy furnaces were put in. (now the furnaces were moved)

I used to get an actual Black Screen of Death when running past the Bastokan Embassy in Northern San d'Oria, between the Mog House and the Souther San d'Oria zoneline. Jeanvirgaud was in the grass there...

I'm hoping the issue with the Chocobo Hot & Cold NPC (Tandjana Wildgrass dispenser) is fixed now too, since I've frozen up several times there in Bastok Mines (but that one usually just has a super long delay that eventually gets through without needing a reboot) but there were no NPC moves in Bastok Mines... we'll see when I try after JP Midnight today.