Illegal resort operators at Phu Tam Berk given 7 more days to pack up

[webfact]

Illegal resort operators at Phu Tam Berk given 7 more days to pack up

 

 

PETCHABUN: -- Nineteen illegal resort and guesthouse operators at Phu Tab Berk mountainous retreat were given seven more days to pack up their belongings after which officials will carry on with the demolition of the illegal premises.

 

Petchabun governor Bandhit Theveethivarak said Monday that he could not accept the operators’ demand for the authorities to stop the demolition and to work out a compromise with the operators.

 

However, he said he was willing to grant the illegal operators a seven-day reprieve so they can pack up their belongings before officials move in to carry on dismantling the illegally-built resorts and guesthouses.

 

About 300 Hmong tribesmen, several of them operate guesthouses, staged a protest against the demolition on Saturday forcing the officials to move heavy machinery out of the mountainous retreat.

 

A meeting on Monday scheduled by the governor and the illegal operators was attended by a village headman and the officials led by the governor. None of the operators showed up.

 

The headman, Wanchai Chayarom, claimed that the villager, most of them Hmong tribesmen, did not attend the meeting because they were afraid they might be arrested. He proposed that the meeting should be held at Phu Tab Berk and that the villagers should be given a notice three days in advance.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/177142-2/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-08-23

[Alive]

Same old story. But what resorts and homes in the mountains are getting a free pass? Any special privileges for the connected BKKers who own things up there? Just thinking about allowed corruption and the regime's hypocrisy. Anyone on TV live in that area?

[Stargeezr]

Keep tearing the place down!  It is a good start.

I think there are thousands of places, resorts, and such

that exist all over the country that should meet

the same fate.

Geezer

[ratcatcher]

According to the main English language newspaper, the P.M. has caved in and apparently ordered a halt to demolition and payment of compensation for affected resort owners etc. The Hmong may have some interests but its mostly wealthy operators using the tribal card.

[lvr181]

55 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

According to the main English language newspaper, the P.M. has caved in and apparently ordered a halt to demolition and payment of compensation for affected resort owners etc. The Hmong may have some interests but its mostly wealthy operators using the tribal card.

The PM has ordered a halt to demolition and (a halt) to payment of compensation or just a halt to demolition and ordered payment of compensation?

 

Yes, I was confused but now I am lost

[ratcatcher]

5 hours ago, lvr181 said:

The PM has ordered a halt to demolition and (a halt) to payment of compensation or just a halt to demolition and ordered payment of compensation?

 

Yes, I was confused but now I am lost

PM orders aid for Phu Thap Boek residents" 

 

Google that and thou shalt be found.
 

[lvr181]

On 8/23/2016 at 8:15 PM, ratcatcher said:

PM orders aid for Phu Thap Boek residents" 

 

Google that and thou shalt be found.
 

 I am saved - thanks.

 

Guess I have a problem with English writing by those who cannot write English clearly, thus leading to misunderstandings.

[canopy]

I happen to live in the area so I have a good understanding of what goes on there, but would like to hear an outsider like ratcatcher what you think regarding the poor hill tribes being the root of this problem.

 

Previously, the hill tribes and others had ravaged this mountain as is common in Thailand all over. The government decided to take action since this is the highest mountain in Phetchabun province and an important tourist attraction. It must have seemed like a good idea to someone at the time to help the poor in favor of reforesting the mountain. So instead of kicking everyone out, the government granted hill tribes plots of land to farm out of good faith to help the poor in need. The government wished the hill tribes would make fruit tree farms to add beauty and reforestation to the area, but instead only vegetables were grown with lots of poisons used and seasonal burning taking a heavy toll on the environment, but that was still OK and legal.  But then unfortunately one by one, they disobeyed their agreement and got greedy resulting in the rickety resort eyesores now plaguing the mountain. It's sad because if the hill tribes had just stuck with what they promised the government they would do, none of this would ever have happened. Not one single resort. I can't imagine how many of them have taken out loans they cannot repay, even if the resorts remain as it's hard to make any money when you only get tourists a few months out of the year. I've talked with many of them about this and have many hill tribe friends and know resort owners.