A civil network fighting to reclaim the Doi Suthep forest area is calling on the government to set a time frame for the dismantling of the controversial housing project located at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain in Chiang Mai.
The call comes despite a decision by a committee, which said that the 45 homes and nine buildings would be demolished and the disputed plot will be returned to the Treasury Department for rehabilitation.
The meeting chaired by Chiang Mai governor Supachai Iamsuwan on Thursday reinforced the idea that all the structures should be dismantled as proposed by the network.
Based on that decision, the 45 homes should be demolished first while the nine buildings which are already partially occupied would follow suit.
The decision will be forwarded to a national government responsible for resolving the dispute.
The meeting, which was attended by 60 people included representatives from the Provincial Police Region 5, Office of the Attorney-General, Treasury Department and Doi Suthep Forest Restoration Network, took more than two hours.
Speaking after the meeting, Teerasak Rupsuwan, who serves as a coordinator of the network, welcomed the decision while stressing a need for the government to make it clear when the housing project will be dismantled and how.
He said the group will proceed with their planned rally on Aug 26 at Tha Phae Gate in Chiang Mai's Muang district and that he hopes the gathering will serve as a thank-you gesture for the government.
According to Mr Teerasak, the government had reached an agreement in early May of this year to return the disputed area to the national park but three months have already gone by without progress.
"The government must explain in detail how and when they will carry out the dismantling process. Things will be much easier if the cabinet adopts a resolution over the matter so that the people of Chiang Mai and the network can feel assured on the matter.
"If they manage to do so within the next 10 days, we may convert our gathering into a thank-you celebration for the government," Mr Teerasak said.
Earlier, Mr Teerasak voiced disagreement with a proposal that occupants should be allowed to stay until the new site was completed. He insisted the occupants should be allowed to stay only until the homes are demolished.
The committee's decision follows a recent resolution by the Judicial Administration Commission to relocate the controversial housing project to a new location in neighbouring Chiang Rai.
The commission last week resolved to secure an agreement with Chiang Rai Horticulture Research Centre to use part of the centre's land to construct a new office for the Administrative Office of Appeal Region 5, plus accommodation for its staff.
The Office of Courts of Justice Region 5 covers eight provinces in the upper North: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Lampang and Lamphun.
According to Sarawut Benjakul, secretary-general of the Office of the Judiciary, if the construction budget is approved and when work is complete, both the Administrative Office of Appeal Region 5 and the housing project would be relocated there.
In a recent survey by Mae Jo Poll, 57% of respondents were in favour of the demolition and rehabilitation of the plot, while 29% suggested that only partial demolition would still negatively affect the environment.
About 7% of the respondents said the public should be allowed to use the disputed area while the remaining 6% said the housing project should be kept because it did not violate any law.
The housing project is located on an 89-rai land plot given by the Treasury Department to the military for the construction of the Region 5 Appeals Court.
It met with strong opposition from local groups months before it was completed in June of this year.
