Groups representing farmers and poor people in northern provinces have called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to keep his government's promise to resolve land rights problems.
Led by the Northern Peasant Federation (NPF) and the People's Movement for a Just Society (P-Move), about 250 people marched 35km from Chiang Mai to Lamphun Tuesday as part of their campaign to pressure the government to provide them assistance.
NPF core leader Direk Gong-ngern said the government has implemented forest reclamation policies which have led to the eviction of many poor people from land that has been declared forest preserves.
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The march comes amid frustration that problems involving land rights have gone unresolved for more than a year despite the government vowing to solve them.
Many people have been evicted from land they have been living on, either as a result of government policy or private investment, despite their families having occupied the land for generations albeit with no documentation.
Yesterday's march ended without any intervention by security officers.
The protesters demanded the prime minister and his government keep their promise.
In November 2014, the groups tried to stage a demonstration in Chiang Mai but the rally was quickly broken up by security forces.
Negotiations were conducted at the time, leading to a meeting between the groups and officials led by PM's Office Minister ML Panadda Diskul and the then natural resources and environment minister Dapong Ratanasuwan who is now education minister.
They both promised to raise the issue for the government's consideration.
"But there has been no progress despite us trying to raise these issues through every channel including submitting a petition to several government offices," Mr Direk, who led yesterday's march, said.
"The government announced it would make solving land rights problems for poor people one of its major priorities.
"But it seems this issue is now being put on hold."
The group yesterday called on Gen Prayut to help push a bill to facilitate the issuance of community land title deeds which had been approved by the defunct National Reform Council to promote the right of people to live in forest areas.
Today, the groups will gather at Lamphun Provincial Court to hear the Supreme Court's ruling on the appeal of two people sentenced to one year in jail for land encroachment.