Two Chiang Mai resorts demolished for encroachment
PHOTO: Ban Leesor View Suay, one two illegal resorts slated for demolition – The Nation
As land occupants cooperated rather than resisted, officials on Monday demolished two resorts encroaching on Doi Luang Chiang Dao forest in Chiang Mai province as per a court ruling, said Chiang Dao District Office deputy chief for national security Phermkiat Thephassadin Na Ayutthaya.
Phermkiat led the combined 50-strong team of administrative and forestry officials, along with soldiers, to post the two court verdicts and commence the demolition of two resorts encroaching on the forest. The home-stay resorts were “Ban Leesor View Suay”, whose case was finalised last October, and “Ban Mok Saengchan”, whose case was finalised last November.
Both sites were in Ban Na Lao Mai (Moo 10) of Tambon Chiang Dao and had previously been the subject of the authority’s re-regulation covering home-stay services.
There are now 19 legitimate service providers – with each home renting out two rooms while the front yard can host up to four tents – to support up to 200 tourists per day.
Illegal home-stay facilities had been built to serve up to 1,000 daily visitors to the area during the high season. The proliferation of providers had threatened to bring about a repeat of Phetchabun’s Phu Thab Berk attraction, which suffered extensive land encroachment from resorts catering to an overwhelming number of visitors.
STORY: The Nation
