Government steps in to halt Doi Suthep project

Chiang Mai housing scheme re-examined

Construction of a controversial housing project for judicial officials at the foot of Doi Suthep, a popular natural tourist attraction in the North, will be halted for the benefit of the public, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon revealed yesterday.

Gen Prawit, who also serves as defence minister, said the project in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district would be terminated while state agencies discuss how the mountainous area will be developed to better serve the public.

Local judiciary and military officials will take part in a meeting on the issue on Monday, he said.

“Construction will be suspended for now. All relevant sides will be invited to find out what they can do to make the land useful for the public,” he said.

“A secondary forest will be grown there but we can no longer use it as accommodation for judicial officials.”

Asked whether Section 44 would be exercised to settle the dispute over the project, Gen Prawit said he had not yet decided.

Gen Prawit made his comments after the housing project drew huge public objections. Three conservationists on Wednesday embarked on a 700-kilometre walkathon from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to protest against the project.

The Region 5 Court of Appeal office, which owns the project, insists that the construction is in compliance with the law.

The construction site is located on Treasury Department land in tambon Don Kaew and it is not part of the national park, the office said.

Remarking on the issue, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha stressed members of the public should understand all sides of the argument.

The local court office launched the project in compliance with an order given by agencies under the umbrella of the Ministry of Justice while the contractor will be fined if it is found that it failed to complete the project as stipulated in a contract with the state, Lt Gen Sansern said.

Change.org, a campaign urging the court to return the 147 rai of land, had garnered nearly 40,000 supporters as of last night.

Thanong Thongphubate, the initiator of the campaign, said use of the land, although lawful, negatively affects the local forest and mountain environment. “This project should use another location for the sake of the natural environment, the ecosystem, the country, the people and faith in the justice system,” he wrote.

Mr Thanong said it was unnecessary to turn the forest land into a housing project as there are other areas suitable for building houses for judicial employees.

Moreover, the scenic landscape of Doi Suthep would be damaged by those structures, he said.

In addition, he voiced concern over the state’s mechanism which could be exploited to reap benefits from natural resources similar to this case as the court claimed the project was launched lawfully.

“This project should be suspended so that both public and state agencies can review what the state has done to seek solutions to the problem,” Mr Thanong said.

Over 1 billion baht has already been spent on the project, said army chief Chalermchai Sitthisad, who is also the secretary-general of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).