NAKHON RATCHASIMA – A resort in Sikhiu district is being taken to task for blocking a public waterway, causing problems for people who live downstream.
A team of police and soldiers, led by Col Sommai Bussaba, head of the legal department of the Second Army, went to Prim Valley resort in tambon Nong Ya Khao on Friday morning.
The resort occupies about 500 rai of land. Local villagers complained to the army that the resort had dammed more than a kilometre of the Takhien canal. This meant residents of Moo 9 and Moo 10 cannot use water from the canal. The resort had also closed a public path which villagers had previously used regularly.
Takhien canal has its source on Sadao mountain and flows about six kilometres to a reservoir in tambon Nong Ya Khao. It flows through the resort.
Villagers said the resort had been causing them trouble for a long time.
Resident Tossaphol Manomum, of tambon Nong Ya Khao, said the people were facing great difficulty. It was crops harvesting season and they had to find alternative routes to transport their produce to the market.
Most troublesome at the moment was the blocking of the public waterway. People downstream had to wait for the overflow water from the resort’s dyke.
Col Sommai said the inspection revealed that the resort, which is now under renovation, had blocked the canal at four spots and strung barbed wire to close the public path.
Appropriate government agencies will be assigned to check on the original condition of the canal and immediately take legal action against the resort for blocking the waterway. It should remove all structures that obstruct the water flow.