The Northern Farmers Network and People’s Movement for a Just Society submitted a petition to Chiang Mai’s governor. The groups stated that more than 3,500 families in the North were suffering from government policies and there had been no progress on helping them over land rights.

Demands were made on three topics: the problems of communities in the forest, which the groups claim have been severely oppressed by the National Council for Peace and Order’s policy to reclaim forestland; the establishment of 21 new national parks without public participation, and the setting up of the Tak Special Economic Zone, which the groups claim also violates communal rights.

Chiang Mai vice governor Krit Tanawanit, who received the petition, said the authorities would comply with the demands and solve the people’s problems soon.