The government will not use Section 44 to order the demolition of the controversial housing estate for judicial officials in Chiang Mai, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Monday.
Mr Wissanu said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had no desire to exercise the special authority of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to order the demolition of the housing built for the Administrative Office of Appeal Region 5 at the foot of famous Doi Suthep mountain in Mae Rim district.
The NCPO had no grounds to remove the houses, as demanded by environmentalists and Chiang Mai residents, he added.
The green-ribbon network, which brought together around 5,000 protesters on the weekend, gave Gen Prayut one week to act on their demand to tear down the houses.
The new office and housing for the regional Appeal Court is being built on 147 rai of Treasury Department land at a budgeted cost of one billion baht. It comprises two office buildings, three flats and 48 houses.
The houses, built on the foot of the mountain slope, are the target for demolition by conservationists.
Facing growing opposition to the project, the Office of the Court of Justice on April 9 said it would leave the decision on the project up to the prime minister.
In a meeting on reform at Government House on Monday, Gen Prayut asked for concerted efforts from the panel members to help the government find a solution to the problem.
He said the project was legally built but has caused a conflict with local people.
