Meanwhile, academics expressed concern that the project would pave the way for large-scale corruption due to a lack of transparency in the bidding process.
Association president Srisuwan Janya said he would collect signatures from members of the public for use in filing a lawsuit with the Administrative Court asking it to stop the plan.
He said the scheme violates the Constitution’s Articles 57, 58 and 87, which require the government and relevant agencies to inform local people about projects to be established in their communities and to allow them to participate in decision-making.
The Nation