Resort operators cry ‘discrimination’

The operators of resorts and tourism businesses found illegally occupying Doi Mon Cham, a popular hilltop attraction in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district, are claiming the evictions “discriminate” against hill tribe people.

More than 300 people calling themselves the Mon Cham people’s network yesterday gathered outside the office of tambon Pong Yaem administrative organisation in Mae Rim district, in a rally they described was a fight for fair law enforcement for hill tribe people.

The protesters also submitted a letter, along with more than 600 signatures, to Chiang Mai governor Charoenrit Sanguansat through Chiang Mai city clerk Wiraphan Di-on.

The protesters claim to have been affected by the suspensions of running water, electricity and mobile phone signals, which they said began four days previously in order to pressure the more than 116 resort and other accommodation business operators into leaving the area.

Around mid-January, Mae Rim district office in Chiang Mai issued a directive ordering resorts and other business at Doi Mon Cham in tambon Pong Yaeng and tambon Mae Raem in the same district to stop operations within 30 days as they were encroaching on national reserve forest areas.

Chaichana Suksakunpanya, a former village head, who led the protest said more than 1,500 people in three villages had been affected by these measures, which began on Friday.

However, Kamon Nuan-yai, chief of the Royal Forest Department’s 1st forest resources management office in Chiang Mai, insisted there had been no suspension of running water or electricity supplies in the area.

The mobile phone antennas were dismantled because they were constructed without permission, but vehicles equipped as signal relaying stations were being used instead, he said.