Chiang Mai trio begins march against court housing on Doi Suthep

[webfact]

Chiang Mai trio begins march against court housing on Doi Suthep

By The Nation

 

 

Three members of the Network to Reclaim Doi Suthep Forest on Wednesday began a symbolic march that will take them from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

 

Krit Yiammetha, Direk Chantharadilok and Saruth Srithaworn plan to present a petition to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asking him to use Article 44 of the interim charter to halt construction of Appeals Court buildings and 45 residences at the foot of Doi Suthep in the northern province.

 

The 147-rai site is close to Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.

 

Departing from the Three Kings Monument in downtown Chiang Mai, Krit estimated it would take them about 20 days to reach the capital, though they could arrive as early as April 20.

 

He insisted the network had no political agenda and there was no hidden “mastermind” manipulating it.

 

A truck carrying supplies will accompany the trio on their trek.

 

At the end of the first day, they expect to stay overnight in Lamphun’s Mae Tha district.

 

The network’s petition at Change.org urging the Appeals Court Region 5 to abandon the construction project had by Wednesday gained the support of 37,434 people. The target is 50,000.

 

Response has also been good to its appeal for Chiang Mai residents and supporters to post pictures of themselves wearing green ribbons on social media.

 

Among those posing with a ribbon are jazz musician Pharadon Phonamnuai, who owns the restaurant North Gate and offered other supporters free ribbons.

 

Army chief General Chalermchai Sittisart said last week the construction project, financed with Bt1 billion in state funds, was 95-per-cent complete – too advanced to stop.

 

A source at Government House said Prayut had assigned officials to resolve the issue.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30342439

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-04

[sweatalot]

only three !

 

Good luck anyway.

 

what is unjust is unjust

[klauskunkel]

I predict some extra-judicial stuff happening.

[Srikcir]

Let's see the Appeals Court Region 5 file a defamation complaint against these protesters. 

That would be the ultimate paradox.

[jenny2017]

A source at Government House said Prayut had assigned officials to resolve the issue.

 

  Here's the proof

[CNXBKKMAN]

They have been building it for a few years. I noticed that the Army only visited when its almost complete, "too advanced to stop" . The thing i find really annoying about it is its slap bang in the middle of the trail that runs to Huay Tung Tao from the 700 year stadium. This is popular with walkers, bikers, hash house harriers and locals foraging in the forest. Security guards try to prevent you from using the trail but i ignore them. A wall is about to be built blocking the trail and i am not sure there are any plans to allow any access through the estate. The trail itself closer to HTT has recently been cleared and is being replaced with a road which will enter HTT near the dam part.

          Another depressing development is the large exercise track that is adjacent to Huay Tung Tau. Used by runners, elderly walkers, families on bikes etc. The one that you enter from a small car park just after you turn off the canal road maybe 100m up. This track has been ripped up and is being converted into a road for motor traffic following the exact coarse of the track. Basically a winding loop going nowhere! Its a wide road considering it goes nowhere in particular. The road would make sense if the whole area is going to be another housing estate. Chiang Mai is short of parks so getting rid of one of the very few open spaces which is car free and used by many regulars is not a smart move.

[canopy]

A billion baht to build what looks like 50 houses? Where is the rest of the money going?