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Published on December 21, 2007

More than 10 people were injured yesterday after a group of villagers campaigning against the construction of an iron processing plant in Prachuap Khiri Khan clashed with construction workers.

Withoon Buaroy, leader of the Mae Ram Phueng Conservation Group, said the 500 "men in red shirts" would not have beaten up the protestors if they had not been given orders "from above". He said the men were working for Sahaviriya Steel Industries Public Co Ltd, the owner of the project.

Senior Sahaviriya official, Phairoj Mokdara, said he had no idea who the men in red shirts were, adding that the project would continue and that the company had followed all regulations required by law to build the plant worth several billion baht.

Withoon said the 500 workers had been mobilised to dismantle a large number of makeshift shelters built near the Mae Ram Phueng Tambon Administration Organisation office, which were occupied by about 300 villagers from five actions groups campaigning against the plant project.

The clash took place during a meeting between villagers and the construction companies to discuss if Sahaviriya had permission to create a landfill on a 1,142-rai plot.

Ten women from the action groups attempted to attend the meeting but were stopped by the workers.

Withoon said this was the last time the villagers would try to resolve the matter peacefully. "They have intimidated and threatened us all along. Now the villagers have to defend themselves," he said.

He also accused the police of incompetence, saying that villagers were beaten up in front of a 200-strong police force, who merely looked on.

"Many women were smacked and stomped upon. Ambulances taking the injured to hospital were also attacked with rocks and other objects," he said.

Withoon said the workers appeared drunk and that the villagers had discovered a cache of weapons made from construction material hidden in the tambon administration office. "It's like a bandits' den there rather than a government office," he said.

The Nation