Who is Building on Our Mountain?

[webfact]

Who is Building on Our Mountain?
by CityNews



CityNews – Raks Mae Ping, the social and environmental activism Facebook page, has a new cause celebre.

According to page administrator Sakda Darawan, Dr. Rungsrit Kanjanavanit MD, of the Department of Internal Medicine, CMU, who is a member of the page as well as being an amateur pilot, took a photograph of a new development at the foothills of Doi Suthep-Pui mountain range, which was posted on the page on 7th June.

The post has gone viral with nearly a thousand shares and more and more photos were posted of this development by other members. As seen in both Google Earth images and pictures, a large swathe of land has been cleared in the area behind the 700 Year Sports Stadium complex.

Reports have now emerged that this area of nearly 100 rai will become residences for judges of the 5th Region Appeals Court. According to sources, this is a legal development, and part of the 800 rai of land reclaimed from the National Parks by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Some of that land was used to build the Night Safari and the Royal Flora, and according to sources, this area was legally procured for the government.

Full story: http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/who-is-building-on-our-mountain/

-- Chiang City News 2016-06-09

[keith101]

former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and legal procurement seem to be words that are at odds with what most of us know about his time in business and politics .

[clokwise]

So sad.. I noticed this development a couple weeks ago while on a flight to BKK. It's shocking to see just how far it has encroached not just into, but up, the side of the pristine mountain! The photo here doesn't do it justice. My first thought was who got paid off to allow this to happen? I wonder how long it will be before we see more city development creep up the entire mountainside?

[taotoo]

This has been there for about two years. Odd that nobody noticed the cleared land until the houses were half-built.

[worgeordie]

One has to ask how many judges are there ?,

100 Rai can build a lot of houses on that,but i

suppose there will be swimming pool,club house,

etc etc,have to keep the judges happy,just in case

you have to appeal a conviction.

regards Worgeordie

[klauskunkel]

this area of nearly 100 rai will become residences for judges of the 5th Region Appeals Court

this is a legal development

this area was legally procured for the government

say it three time and it becomes legal, ...anyway, who is to judge?

[Redline]

It's not really a conflict of interest. All I can offer a judge is a few thousand baht. They just really screwed me! Will they have all you can eat at the pool? Does anybody know anyone who is moving there because I'm in the need for some new friends.

[webfact]

Court Defends 900 Million Baht Development on Suthep-Pui Foothills
by CityNews


Pictures plastered in the lift of the juvenile court showing new development designs.

CityNews – A press conference was held today, 9th June, at the Chiang Mai Juvenile and Family Court presided by Udom Sittiwirattham, President of the Court of Appeal, Region 5, to explain the reasoning and offer up facts behind the newly controversial development at the foothills of Doi Suthep-Pui mountain range that has been causing a storm on social media.

“The last two days has seen social media explode in outrage about this project, and there have been many strongly worded and accusatory, often inaccurate, comments affecting not just our development, but those of our neighbours,” he stated.

“For the past many years the 5th Region Appeals Court has had no home. We have been sharing space with the juvenile court and space is just not enough. In 2005 the 5th Region Court moved to Chiang Mai from Bangkok and without a home, we made do with sharing space. In 2006 we therefore made an official request to the Military Circle 33 asking for land to build our new court, administrative buildings as well as residences for our staff.

Just over 147 rai of land, belonging to the military, and in no way encroaching onto National Park land, was granted to us. The budget only came through in 2013 and we began construction in 2014.”

The project is divided into three zones. The first zone, closest to the Irrigation Canal Road, is the administrative site and will see the new court and other administrative buildings erected. It will be completed and open for operations by the end of September.

The second zone will include 13 buildings, which will house most of the 300-500 employees of the court who will be moving in by the end of 2017. The last zone, the visible cleared land which initially drew the public’s attention, and ire, to this project, will comprise of 47 residents for the court’s highest officers, senior judges and those at the top of the superior court and hopefully will also be completed by the end of next year. There is a further 50 rai of land which will remain unused at the top of the project.

Full story: http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/court-defends-900-million-baht-development-suthep-pui-foothills/


-- Chiang City News 2016-06-10

[stoneyboy]

With the repeated reports of heinous crimes and killings in the country it's only natural to build more courts to rid the country of its criminals,may as well do it in style.

They look lovely.

[cmsally]

For housing surely it would be cheaper to buy part of an existing moobahn.

Just how far can being speechless go ? Once again I am speechless.

[casualbiker]

Those judges homes are multi multi million baht homes!!!! Some very interesting perks of the job!

[mike324]

900 million baht development! What a ripoff! You can probably build something similar for the same cost in Bangna!

[elgordo38]

For housing surely it would be cheaper to buy part of an existing moobahn.

Just how far can being speechless go ? Once again I am speechless.

From the gist of the article they are going from the slums to Shangri-la. As one poster stated he is speechless well I am to looking at the largesse available for the legal system and the paltry amount paid to pensioners. They should be ashamed of themselves.

[elgordo38]

For housing surely it would be cheaper to buy part of an existing moobahn.

Just how far can being speechless go ? Once again I am speechless.

From the gist of the article they are going from the slums to Shangri-la. As one poster stated he is speechless well I am to looking at the largesse available for the legal system and the paltry amount paid to pensioners. They should be ashamed of themselves.

[cmsally]

I have a friend in UK who is a senior judge and she gets nothing like this !

[F4UCorsair]

I have a friend in UK who is a senior judge and she gets nothing like this !

Not that she's admitting to!!

Judges in western countries are at the top of the tree, snouts in the trough, almost to the same degeee as politicians.

They're on massive salaries, huge expense accounts, cars, etc., answerable to nobody because they demand 'judicial independence', and not called to account for their f*** ups. How often have you heard, 'the judge misinstructed the jury', or 'the judge erred at law,' and another trial, or appeal results.

[webfact]

Construction of lodging project for judges in Chiang Mai is legal



The president of the Fifth Region Court of Appeals says the lodging project for judges at the foot of Doi Suthep hill legal and does not encroach on the Doi Suthep-Pui national park.

Affirmation of the legality of the project from the court president Mr Udom Sitvirajtham came after the project was widely critised in the social media with critics accusing that it encroached on the Doi Suthep-Pui national park.

The 900-million baht project, comprising of 47 single houses, and 13 condominiums, is located on a 147 rai plot of land outside the national park.

Mr Udom said construction of the project has been legally sought and the reason to build single houses because of the slopy geographic location.

However he assured that 58 rai of land on higher slopes have been reserved to keep its natural surroundings.

Construction started last year and us scheduled to finish in September this year.

The land belonged to the Army and was granted for use by the Justice Ministry since 2006.

Tags: condominiums, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, encroached, legality, lodging project, Mr Udom Sitvirajtham, rumour, single-house., social media, social network, the Fifth Region Court of Appeals.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/construction-lodging-project-judges-chiang-mai-legal/


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-10

[clockman]

In Chiang Mai, alot of land belongs to the military!

[taotoo]

Construction of lodging project for judges in Chiang Mai is legal

The president of the Fifth Region Court of Appeals says the lodging project for judges at the foot of Doi Suthep hill legal

Does the president happen to also be a judge?

[cmsally]

Construction of lodging project for judges in Chiang Mai is legal

The president of the Fifth Region Court of Appeals says the lodging project for judges at the foot of Doi Suthep hill legal

Does the president happen to also be a judge?

Yep some of us had spotted that one.

In fact original article mentions none other than - "this area of nearly 100 rai will become residences for judges of the 5th Region Appeals Court"

Yeah that's right the same one whose president above, says its legal

[Thailand]

Construction of lodging project for judges in Chiang Mai is legal

The president of the Fifth Region Court of Appeals says the lodging project for judges at the foot of Doi Suthep hill legal

Does the president happen to also be a judge?

Yep some of us had spotted that one.

In fact original article mentions none other than - "this area of nearly 100 rai will become residences for judges of the 5th Region Appeals Court"

Yeah that's right the same one whose president above, says its legal

"Trust us we are Thai"

[cmsally]

On top of this they say they will enact the Computer Crimes Act for anyone "damaging court's reputation' , by reporting , complaining etc

[sanukjim]

Sure it is legal if the courts say it is. So there blaaa

[wabothai]

Judges ought to be like monks.............................................................................................................................................................................sorry, couldn't help myself.

[phil2407]

Is the land owned by the "army" or a individual person in the army - and has he or she sold the land or just leased it - buildings for free and later on turn into resort????

[Redline]

I would suggest this development is in the tens of millions

[casualbiker]

I would suggest this development is in the tens of millions

900

[Happy Grumpy]

Will the crazy female judge that attacks people and drives through barriers be moved there?

[Redline]

Everyone all the way up the chain will say it's legal because it's the same club. Nothing anyone can do about it....

[cmsally]

Would make a great debating topic on legality vs ethics, the only problem being no one is allowed to talk about it.

Take this topic back to the subject of education and many problems are glaringly obvious that relate to education and society.