3 Chiang Mai activists begin march to capital

Walkathon to protest Doi Suthep buildings

Three conservationists yesterday kicked off a 700-kilometre walkathon from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

Their long march is to protest against the building of a controversial housing project for judges and judicial officials at the foot of the famous Doi Suthep mountain in Mae Rim district of Chiang Mai.

Soldiers tried to get the campaigners to stop their walkathon yesterday, but they insisted on pressing ahead.

The project has drawn fierce criticism from local residents, who said that it will have a severe negative environmental impact on the forest.

Construction has already started and 147 rai of lush forest at the foot of Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai has been felled.

Office buildings have already been built on the cleared ground, but the housing is still under construction, with the judges’ homes even higher up in the forest at the foot of famous Doi Suthep.

The compound is being built on Treasury Department land, with the housing project costing around one billion baht.

Cheered on by locals, the conservationists started their journey at the Three Kings Monument in the historical heart of Chiang Mai city, intending to walk to Government House in Bangkok.

They intend to ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to invoke the all-powerful Section 44 of the interim charter and order the buildings to be demolished.

They expect to walk about 50km a day and arrive in Bangkok around April 20.

The three campaigners are Krit Yiammethakorn, Sarut Srithavorn and Dilok Chantaradilok. They also plan to make an overnight stop in Mae Tha district in neighbouring Lampang province.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday ordered officials to negotiate with conservation groups to end the dispute.

A Facebook page called “Asking for the Return of Doi Suthep Forest” yesterday revealed the talks would be held soon at the premises of the 33rd Military Circle.

It claimed it received the information from Maj Sophon Phakkasem, who has been appointed to negotiate with them.

The Network for the Return of Doi Suthep Forest is waiting for written confirmation from the authorities to make sure the talks will not be cancelled again as happened previously on Monday.

The network said the walkathon was not part of its campaign programme and was initiated by residents of Chiang Mai, though the network supports them.

The network plans its own activity on Sunday, with a bicycle ride to tie ribbons around trees in the forest on Doi Suthep.