More than a year after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) used Section 44 -- the special executive order in the interim charter -- to close Chatree gold mine in the Central Plains region at the beginning of January 2017, conflicts centred on pollution and disputes between the state and the gold mining company are far from over.
VILLAGERS STILL STRUGGLING
Operating a noodle shop in a community with more than 1,000 gold miners was once a source of steady income for the Lorsap family. The secure life is now a thing of the past after the mine closed.
"Today, I make only 800 baht per day, down from 2,000 baht," said Samran Lorsap, a 43-year-old noodle vendor in Thambon Khao Jed Look in Phichit's Thap Khlo district.
