Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/DoiSuthepMountain
The Court of Appeal Region 5 officially handed over 85 of land back to the Chiang Mai Treasury Department yesterday.
This piece of land sits at the foothills of Doi Suthep, and has stirred controversy and protests in 2018 when it was discovered that the land had been handed to the court of appeals, by the army, to be developed into 45 luxury residences and 9 apartments. The discovery, two months before the project’s completion, halted all construction, though some residences have been occupied since.
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/DoiSuthepMountain
Local citizens groups have been protesting its construction ever since and finally won the battle. All 45 mansions are to be demolished, with two ‘eyesore’ water tanks being the first two constructions to have been razed.
Department director-general Prapas Kong-Ied said yesterday that 45 houses will be handed over first while the site’s nine flats will be processed at a later date.
The future of the development is unclear and authorities say that any development will be in line with the local community’s preferred usage, whether it be to be used as a community resource or simply returned to its natural state. A local committee will be set up to determine the land’s future.
According to the Bangkok Post, the hand-over order was signed by Pranom Chaichukul, director of the administrative office attached to the Region 5 Appeal Court, and Korachak Chuthip, chief of the provincial treasury office.
