NGO group mulls legal support for villagers
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The head of Northeast's NGO Coordinating Committee on Development, Suwit Kularpwong, may consult the Lawyers Council of Thailand and the National Human Rights Commission regarding legal aid for villagers in six villages of tambon Khao Luang in Loei's Wang
The villagers have built a concrete fence at the Ban Na Nong Bong intersection, blocking the entrance to a gold mine since September 5, in protest against Thung Kham Co’s alleged plan to expand its gold-mining activity without allowing local community participation.
The company lodged a police complaint on September 10 against protest leader Samai Pakmee and others for property intrusion by blocking its road and damaging its road surface. The company also accused them of threatening company staff, said Wang Saphung investigator Pol Captain Winai Nakhonkwang. The company said it would file a civil lawsuit claiming Bt15 million compensation per day, he added.
However, Samai said that the fence was built on public space, hence it did not intrude on the company property as accused, and that the villagers have been suffering from bad health and pollution caused by the mining operations.
