CHIANG MAI -- For 40 years the people of Ban Rong Wua have been forced to rely on the single, dirt road that connects their village to the outside world.
They say Ban Rong Wua has been overlooked. While the rest of the region is developing, their lives remain miserable.
And yet, ever since the village was established 40 years ago the people there have had to use this one dirt road to come and go, in all weather.
On Wednesday morning, about 100 residents from about 200 households in Ban Rong Wua rallied on the road to their village, holding placards and banners calling for whatever government agency may be responsible to look into their misery.
A representative, Anant Puangchaba, said his village has been overlooked. Everything is covered in dust for most of the year and, as a result, many children and elderly people suffer from chronic respiratory problems. In the wet season, the road is full of potholes and muddy.
Mr Anant said they have filed petitions with several agencies, including the Nam Bo Luang tambon administration organisation and the Department of Rural Roads, asking them to build a new road to the village. Their requests have been turned down. The explanation is they cannot do it simply because the village is located in a forest reserve.
About a year ago, Ban Rong Wua organised a tod pha pa ceremony and managed to raise about 250,000 baht, which was enough to build a better road for distance of only about 255 metres. This leaves about 2 kilometres remaining to be built.
And that is not all that makes their lives difficult, he said. The village is also still in need of a water supply for their fields and crops.