Activists threaten lawsuit over blasting at fresco site

A southern conservation network yesterday threatened to take the Fine Arts Department to court unless it restored the Khao Yala conservation zone in Yala province to protect its ancient cave paintings from industrial rock blasting.

Wara Chanmanee, a representative of the network, said yesterday that 200 rai, or a quarter of the zone in Muang district’s Tambon Lidon, was stripped of conservation status on Sept 29 last year by then-Fine Arts Department chief Anant Chuchote, just one day before he retired. The order was announced in the Royal Gazette on Feb 26.

Mr Wara issued a deadline of March 23 (Monday) for department to reverse Mr Anant’s order due to take effect later this month, or else the network would take legal action in the Administrative Court.

The conservationist said Khao Yala, which is home to ancient cave frescoes dating back 2,000-2,500 years, should be preserved.

Once deprived of its conservation status, the 200-rai area is likely to be subject to quarry blasting which could destroy the frescoes, he said.

Khao Yala mountain was previously a rock blasting concession zone before the Fine Arts Department discovered the cave paintings and registered it as an archaeological site. The quarrying licences subsequently expired but Mr Anant’s decision to remove the 200 rai zone from the protected area could open the way for operators to renew the licences, he said.

Pro-industry elements insist that the South is short of crushed stone for construction, and that without new quarry sites locals will have to pay higher prices for building materials.

However, Mr Wara said the rocks could be supplied cheaper from Malaysia.

Khao Yala is located on the A1 watershed area and is considered of high environmental and archaeological value, the conservationist said, adding “a set of precious frescoes was ruined during the previous quarrying concessions. This must not happen again”.

He insisted the Fine Arts Department has a duty to reinstate the area as a conservation zone.

“But if it fails to do it, we will meet in court,” he said.

Prateep Pengtako, the new department chief, pledged that the agency would study the issue seriously before making any decision.