‘Use Article 44 to demolish court houses’

By NISANART KANGWANWONG, 
KRITTAPORN SAMAWATHA 
THE NATION

 

Monks at Doi Saket Temple urge authorities to vacate a plot of land at the foot of Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep mountain yesterday.

 

Activist ready to raise funds to build at alternative site.

 

AN ACTIVIST has urged Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to invoke his special powers under Article 44 to demolish court officials’ residences at Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep Mountain. In return, the activist has promised to try to raise funds to support the construction of new accommodation units in another location.

 

“Doi Suthep is a sacred area It is highly revered by Chiang Mai people,” Krit Yiammethakorn, who |identifies himself as the secretary-general for the Order of Thai People with Caring Concerns for Their Nation and the Chiang Mai Pracharat Power Group, said yesterday.

 

Krit spoke as he handed a petition to Prayut via the chief of the 33rd Army Military Circle, Maj-General Sathit Srisuwan. Built at a cost of nearly Bt1 billion, the complex of residences for court officials and judges at the foot of Doi Suthep Mountain is now almost complete.

An uproar, however, has raged for months after environmentalists claimed that the houses and condo buildings for court officials were being constructed in a forest zone.

 

Authorities have to date maintained that the structures are legally not inside the adjacent Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.

 

“Chiang Mai people will help support the decision to remove court officials’ residences from Doi Suthep by raising funds to help the government with the cost of new buildings,” Krit said.

 

He added that various groups in Chiang Mai province had now come forward under a united stance to oppose the residences deemed to encroach on forestland.

 

“My groups will join the activities organised by the Network to Reclaim Doi Suthep Forest this Sunday,” Krit said.

 

The network plans to stage a rally in Chiang Mai to make it clear that locals are against the construction continuing. Wararat Boonyatat, who sells local clothes in Chiang Mai province, said the location chosen was not appropriate.

 

“Please return the forest to Chiang Mai people Doi Suthep forest is very important to us,” she said.

 

Wiboon Singkateera, who owns a car-care centre in Chiang Mai’s Muang district, said he was handing out green ribbons to people who shared the same stance.

 

Green ribbons are now flying across Chiang Mai to symbolise people’s efforts to protect forestland.

 

“I will join the network’s activities on Sunday [tomorrow] and will hand out free green ribbons there too,” he said.

 

Boontanawich Pothaphirapat, a meatball vendor, said although his business would not allow him to physically join the activities, he would be willing to contribute by offering free drinks and food to participants. “It’s because I agree with the network’s stance,” he said.

 

Pattarin Butnate, a local schoolgirl, said she could not attend the network’s event but definitely would support its cause“I will speak up for the network wherever I can,” she said.

 

Kunprisorn Chaipattarawara chaya, a student at the Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, said authorities should build the court officials’ residences in an urban zone.

 

“Do not disturb nature,” she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344143

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-28

I still don't understand, All Thai have to buy or rent a house them self and if you are a court official they will build it for you? If that's true it makes it even more unfair!

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Doi Suthep is a sacred area It is highly revered by Chiang Mai people,” Krit Yiammethakorn, who identifies himself as the secretary-general for the Order of Thai People with Caring Concerns for Their Nation

Catchy name.

 

Hopefully it sounds better in Thai. 

8 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Catchy name.

 

Hopefully it sounds better in Thai. 

Probably sounds the same with a twist of the tongue as in udon thani in Thai is udon thaneee

Not sure why a bunch of clueless people build something for so long

on a piece of land they weren't supposed to , only to demolish it

now and rebuild it somewhere else, why no one was making the right

noises when the place was build and waited for so long? and

who pays for of this waste and stupidity i wonder?....

 

"Kunprisorn Chaipattarawara chaya, a student at the Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, said authorities should build the court officials’ residences in an urban zone.

 

“Do not disturb nature,” she said."

 

Good point but till leaves open and serious questions, why should the state provide an enclave of houses for judges?

 

 

1 hour ago, RotMahKid said:

I still don't understand, All Thai have to buy or rent a house them self and if you are a court official they will build it for you? If that's true it makes it even more unfair!

 

It smacks of pure elitism, just what Thailand desperately needs to be rid of.

 

Taxpayers money should be spent of much more valid items towards building a fair balanced just society with equal care for all and equal opportunity for all. IMHO this should be a main feature of the Thai constitution. 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 20188 yr by scorecard

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

a fair balanced just society with equal care for all and equal opportunity for all.

Where in the world can this utopia be found?  An example please....

13 minutes ago, scorecard said:

It smacks of pure elitism, just what Thailand desperately needs to be rid of.

And exactly what the coups are trying to preserve.

The top 5-10% of Thais are getting a free ride while the remaining 90% scratch out an existence in poverty and despair.

 

13 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Taxpayers money should be spent of much more valid items towards building a fair balanced just society with equal care for all and equal opportunity for all. IMHO this should be a main feature of the Thai constitution. 

And yet you are one the most most vocal supporters of the Junta........oh the irony.

3 hours ago, pornprong said:

And exactly what the coups are trying to preserve.

The top 5-10% of Thais are getting a free ride while the remaining 90% scratch out an existence in poverty and despair.

 

And yet you are one the most most vocal supporters of the Junta........oh the irony.

 

 

"And yet you are one the most most vocal supporters of the Junta........oh the irony."

 

Wrong. Just your convenient twisting, where is my post did I mention anything at all about the junta doing it right? I didn't, not one word. 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 20188 yr by scorecard

5 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

I still don't understand, All Thai have to buy or rent a house them self and if you are a court official they will build it for you? If that's true it makes it even more unfair!

The same free housing applies to junior officials and their families in the Public Relations Department. Probably because of the importance they will be to the PM in the future election campaign . They seem to be covering all bases and were provided with 10 housing projects in Bangkok, Phuket, Ubon Ratchathani, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Ranong, Songkhla and Tak.

Makes one wonder how many other civil servants get free houses. I suppose it depends on their usefulness to those in government who have aspirations to be members of the new "democratic" government.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/cabinet-approves-10-housing-projects-worth-153-million-baht-prd-officials/

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

AN ACTIVIST has urged Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to invoke his special powers under Article 44 to demolish court officials’ residences at Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep Mountain.

No. You don't use the tools of a burglar who broke into your house (the Doi Suthep forest) to repair the damage to your house. 

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

In return, the activist has promised to try to raise funds to support the construction of new accommodation units in another location.

No. Offering a quid pro quo solution by the Thai people to settle a violation of the Thai people's sovereignty is a betrayal of the Thai people's rights. It is meaningless in terms of discouraging future abuses by those peoples who hold themselves unaccountable to the Thai people's sovereignty.

Agree Srikcir, the same points occurred to me. I have said before that those who created this mess should pay to clear it up. Suggesting a Go fund me type scheme to pay for another bunch of free houses is wrong. Just wrong.

9 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

"Kunprisorn Chaipattarawara chaya, a student at the Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, said authorities should build the court officials’ residences in an urban zone.

 

“Do not disturb nature,” she said."

 

Good point but till leaves open and serious questions, why should the state provide an enclave of houses for judges?

 

 

To repay them for their loyal service to the privileged.

14 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

I still don't understand, All Thai have to buy or rent a house them self and if you are a court official they will build it for you? If that's true it makes it even more unfair!

 

The good general is no doubt delivering a marker which will ensure favourable court decisions for the military.

 

The squeaky wheel gets the most oil.

Tip of the iceberg.

 

Amazing this exposure hasn't riled up the clapping/whistle-blowing horde. Oh right, they're on the teat too.

 

Also, amazing people who are highlighting this incredible corruption aren't being charged with Computer Crimes and Sedition.

 

 

Shame they didn’t complain until 95% complete  -   They are that slow!!!! 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@18.846537,98.9514492,3165m/data=!3m1!1e3

The forest encroachment is beyond blatant - it's cynical. The powers pushed their luck, as they always will - and this time they've been caught. But the opposition, as usual, have done too little too late.