CityNews – Following yesterday’s announcement by the 5th Region Court of Appeals explaining the legalities behind their controversial development project at the foothills of Suthep-Pui mountain range, it was universally agreed by all parties that the court had acted within the legal framework. Criticism for the project, however, has not lessened following the clarification, but has in fact escalated.
After the press conference, Udom Sittiwirattham, President of the Court of Appeal, Region 5, had told a local reporter that the court would consider taking legal action under the Computer Crimes Act should posters on social media continue to damage the reputation of the court.
This threat has not sat well with many reporters and citizens of Chiang Mai and a local reporter, Bunnaroth Buaklee, who writes for Manager, responded today on Facebook with an open letter to the court with highlights as follows:
“With all due respect, while you have acted in a legal manner, there is a now a scar on our mountain.” He goes on to say that there has been a universal understanding that there are government agencies such as the Night Safari, Royal Flora, the Zoo, that have acted as a natural buffer between the National Park and the city below. While the highest point of the developed land is still over a kilometre from the border line of the National Park, the fact that it is being developed in such a manner is naturally very upsetting and worrying for the people of Chiang Mai who have long cherished the relatively unblemished façade of the mountains. He also claims to have recently discovered that cabinet has recently approved of a further 2,349 rai to be reclaimed from the National Parks department.
He afraid that it will bring big changes to Doi Suthep-Pui, as well as destroy the buffer zone which has up to now been respected by all departments involved.
“These are issues which the public need to know about,” he continued in his letter. “I am unable to offer a solution and I am not telling you what to do, just the effort it took me to [have the courage] to write this was immense. And I am terrified of your threat to use the Computer Crimes Act against me. But it is important for me to explain my opinion and my worry because this is a very important matter for the public.”
To the left is the National Park and The Treasury Department is on the right. Photo credit to Saitan1.
Royal Thai Army Welfare Housing. Photo credit to Saitan1.
Photo credit to Saitan1.
Scars on the mountain. Photo credit to Saitan1.
The red line is the border of the National Park. Photo credit to Saitan1.