Protest over Mae Moh pollution, licence

The protestors called for the mining license granted to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to be revoked.

They later agreed to open two lanes of the road to traffic but maintained their rally.

District chief Sermsak Seesant said he had ordered an initial probe into the granting of the licence to find out why it had was approved despite a public referendum against it - which would make the approval a breach of environmental laws.

He said the Interior and Energy Ministries had been informed of the dispute over the mining licence matter and would order the operation to stop if the approval broke the law.

Protest leader Saengjan Moolsow said all 1,654 households in the Huay Khing village that she heads were affected by dust fumes, loud noise and annoying vibration generated by the mine operation.

She said the protest would continue until the mine was shut down or Egat made a statement to clarify why the licence to re-start mining was granted.