Chiang Mai group demands clear solution to Doi Suthep conflict

[rooster59]

Chiang Mai group demands clear solution to Doi Suthep conflict

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE SUNDAY NATION

 

 

A CHIANG MAI citizens group has warned the government of prolonged protests unless it promises to resolve the stand-off over the controversial residential project for judges at the foot of the Doi Suthep Mountain on the people’s terms.

 

The spokesperson for the Network to Reclaim Doi Suthep Forestland, Bunnaroth Buaklee, said yesterday that the group was dissatisfied with Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s remarks on Friday on the government’s solution to the controversial housing project. The group insisted that the authorities must send a clear message that they would heed the people’s wishes in ending the dispute.

 

The group’s latest call to the government came after Prayut said on Friday night that he intended to cancel the project and reforest the area, while he would also send Prime Minister’s Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana to meet with the citizens group to find mutually agreeable mitigation measures over this conflict.

 

The PM did not specify on demolishing the controversial buildings.

“A leading member of the Network to Reclaim Doi Suthep Forestland said that the talks with Minister Suwaphan would not be the end to the conflict, as the PM has still not made it clear that all buildings in the project would be demolished,” Bunnaroth said.

 

“At the very least, we want clarity and confirmation from the government that they will not use tomorrow’s [today] meeting as another tactic to buy more time.”

 

He said the group understood that it was not possible to solve the conflict in one day, but he insisted that the government should at least come out with a clear road map to reforest the area as per the public’s demand, or they may have to face continuous protests.

 

“We have expressed to the authorities about the Chiang Mai citizens’ demands. We want the government to ensure that the encroached area would be totally reforested and forestland from Mae Jork Reservoir to Haui Tungtao Stream would be transferred to be under the administration of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department to ensure there would be no more forest encroachments in the future,” Bunnaroth added.

 

Meanwhile, Prayut said that he and the government were also disturbed by the conflict over the judges’ housing project, but they wanted all citizens to believe in the government, as they were working hard to find the best outcome for all the country’s problems.

 

“I have already ordered Minister Suwaphan to go to Chiang Mai to talk with the concerned citizens and find mutually acceptable solutions to this problem. As far as I was informed the negotiation to settle this dispute has progressed well,” he said.

 

The PM insisted that he intended to reforest the area first, while there would be negotiations on other matters. He also asked the people not to be hateful towards Justice officials, as they were not the ones behind the project. Moreover, he would also not allow anyone to live on that land.

 

“I would like to ask all sides to resolve this issue through negotiations and avoid a social movement, as someone could seize this opportunity to cause social unrest,” he added.

 

The negotiations between the government representative and the public today will be organised and facilitated by the Army Region 3.

 

Meanwhile, at an academic forum yesterday on the impacts of the judges’ official residence project at Doi Suthep to the ecosystem, community and society, Sumitrchai Hattasan, director of the Centre for Protection and Revival of Local Community Rights, emphasised that even though the project was legally correct, it was severely lacking in good governance, hence the project could be considered as unjust.

 

“If normal people encroach on forestland like this, they may face the charge of aggravating climate change and in the past there were several cases where poor people were penalised with compensation demands up to Bt150,000 per rai for making the world warmer by deforestation,” Sumitrchai said.

 

“In this case, the authorities may have to pay up to Bt90 million if they were subjected to the climate change allegation for deforesting Doi Suthep.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344705

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-06

 

[Samui Bodoh]

2 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

He also asked the people not to be hateful towards Justice officials, as they were not the ones behind the project.

If Justice officials were not behind this plan/project, who was? And why ?

 

BTW, I have never seen a clear answer, why do judges/justice officials need a government housing project at all? The vast majority of people have to find and pay for their own houses, why not judges and justice officials?

 

Something about this story still smells...

 

[YetAnother]

7 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Meanwhile, Prayut said that he and the government were also disturbed by the conflict over the judges’ housing project, but they wanted all citizens to believe in the government, as they were working hard to find the best outcome for all the country’s problems.

classic defocusing the immediate issue; we are supposed to Believe in this govt ? Really ? are they a religious institution ?  i believe rather in results

[trainman34014]

Rich People v Poor People....who normally wins ?

 

It will be more than a little interesting to see how this all pans out but, as this is happening in 'The North' and anyone at the helm in Bangkok normally cares little for the wishes of Rural People in this part of the country, you can bet it will take a superhuman effort to repel the rich invaders of the Forest.

[sweatalot]

The only solution should be to remove this annoyance

 

It was a mistake to allow this project for more than one reason

- so make it undone

Edited May 6, 2018 by sweatalot

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

If Justice officials were not behind this plan/project, who was? And why ?

 

BTW, I have never seen a clear answer, why do judges/justice officials need a government housing project at all? The vast majority of people have to find and pay for their own houses, why not judges and justice officials?

 

Something about this story still smells...

 

"BTW, I have never seen a clear answer, why do judges/justice officials need a government housing project at all? The vast majority of people have to find and pay for their own houses, why not judges and justice officials?"

 

Absolutely agree, this is just totally wrong, and immoral, reverse discrimination, wrong...

 

 

 

[scorecard]

10 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

Rich People v Poor People....who normally wins ?

 

It will be more than a little interesting to see how this all pans out but, as this is happening in 'The North' and anyone at the helm in Bangkok normally cares little for the wishes of Rural People in this part of the country, you can bet it will take a superhuman effort to repel the rich invaders of the Forest.

 

Agree, and a good case for the middle classes stand up and and quickly seriously loudly totally reject such elitism.

 

I hope they do this and they succeed. 

 

 

[tracker1]

Did the Generals mouth move ? Then it must be true what he said just like every other time he has promised something !

[Cadbury]

The PM and the junta need to have the justice system on their side both pre and post election, thus free taxpayer funded housing for judges is quite in order. 

No different to PM Prayut placing his Public Relations staff at strategic locations around the country and providing them with free housing at a cost to taxpayers of 153 million baht. Very important for the government PR team to spread the junta gospel and say nice things about him in the lead up to the election. 

 

[AsiaHand]

The solution here seems to be to let the judges have these estates  as payments for their favorable decisions in cases involving the present government.

[sungod]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Rich People v Poor People....who normally wins ?

 

It will be more than a little interesting to see how this all pans out but, as this is happening in 'The North' and anyone at the helm in Bangkok normally cares little for the wishes of Rural People in this part of the country, you can bet it will take a superhuman effort to repel the rich invaders of the Forest.

I think you will find it was approved under the YL government, with Chiang Mai being one of their major strongholds, in which case is she not a champion of the poor? All seems very strange they wait all this time for the project to be nearly finished.

[sawadee1947]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

We want the government to ensure that the encroached area would be totally reforested and forestland from Mae Jork Reservoir to Haui Tungtao Stream would be transferred to be under the administration of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department to ensure there would be no more forest encroachments in the future

Well, even it might not happen because many people will lose face.....but I appreciate and got high respect that people in Thailand dare to oppose the government and actively resist officials. . 

They risk their lives and are in danger to be arrested and throw into jail.

This shows me that one day it might even be the majority to say no to government plans and no to any Junta.

[yellowboat]

Met a 25 year old man tending bar in Chiang Mai.  He was terribly outspoken about this and the complete lack of any trust he had about the current government.   This many in Chiang Mai find this scarring of their land completely unacceptable and they yearn for a fair election.

[sungod]

37 minutes ago, sungod said:

I think you will find it was approved under the YL government, with Chiang Mai being one of their major strongholds, in which case is she not a champion of the poor? All seems very strange they wait all this time for the project to be nearly finished.

Slight correction, the project was approved 15 years ago under Thai Rak Thai, it received a 1 billion baht budget under the YL government. Wonder how locals know that?

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

Met a 25 year old man tending bar in Chiang Mai.  He was terribly outspoken about this and the complete lack of any trust he had about the current government.   This many in Chiang Mai find this scarring of their land completely unacceptable and they yearn for a fair election.

An understandable response from the locals. Unfortunately the junta couldn't care less about the people and are trying to find a way to wriggle out of their predicament yet saving face and leaving the houses intact for the judges. 

The troughs are just getting larger and larger to accommodate more snouts of those who are useful to the junta.

 

[Anak Nakal]

All see that it ugly. VERY UGLY!

Can not argue UGLY!

Destroy.

[sweatalot]

2 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Well, even it might not happen because many people will lose face.....but I appreciate and got high respect that people in Thailand dare to oppose the government and actively resist officials. . 

They risk their lives and are in danger to be arrested and throw into jail.

This shows me that one day it might even be the majority to say no to government plans and no to any Junta.

"one day it might even be the majority to say no to government plans and no to any Junta."

 

... and no to any kleptocracy and corruption

and no to criminals in politics

Edited May 6, 2018 by sweatalot

[fantom]

What happened to the rally scheduled for today May 6th? We went twice today at 0900 and 1600 but nobody else with green ribbons.

[cmsally]

From the news starting to come out and from what I am hearing, it looks like this case has been won. The land will be handed over to the National Parks and the houses will be removed.

 

This link is Thai , I am looking for an English announcement

Raks Mae Ping

[cmsally]

From Raks Mae Ping Facebook page (if I may quote)

Quote

The summary from the meeting with Mr. Suwapan Tanyuwattana, Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, on the mission to promote national security policy in conservation of natural resources and environment - the case of "Court Region 5 building and officials' residences":

... The contractor to complete the work within June 2018.
... The area of 45 + 9 buildings to be an uninhabited area.
... The Treasury Department to conduct a new survey and set the boundaries on the land.
... Ministry of Natural Resources to make a restoration plan together with the public sector and to start immediately.
... The original forest must be restored.
... A joint committee to be set up to handle with the construction in order to restore the original nature condition.
... the State will find new residences for the court officials.

 

[fantom]

Will the court officials be paying for their new residences?

If not why not?