NAKHON SI THAMMARAT (NNT) On the second day of the removal of restaurants at Ban Khiri Wong, found to be trespassing on a natural stream, the business owners today continued to dismantle the illegal structures according to the Marine Department and Nakhon Si Thammarat province’s directions. The demolitions must be completed in five days. Meanwhile, many tourists say they will continue to visit Ban Khiri Wong for its fine location.
The Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat and the Marine Department had previously issued an instruction for the operators of restaurants at Tha Ha waterfall in Ban Khiri Wong, Nakhon Si Thammarat, to remove any structure which invaded the waterfall’s stream, considered a violation of the Act on Public Canal Invasion. The mandate requires all illegal structures to be removed this month.
On 17th October, restaurant owners brought in a backhoe and drills to remove concrete buildings to comply with the deadline, with workers continuing to work on the removal of structures. The process is now 80 percent complete, while at the same time the restaurants remain open for customers.
Tha Ha waterfall, which is considered to be in an area with the best air quality in the country, still welcomes many tourists, though numbers were affected slightly by the recent rainy season. Many of the tourists interviewed said they are aware of the dismantling, but will continue to visit the area to enjoy beautiful natural scenery, which should be preserved for the future.
