About 500 residents from Tambon Nong Daeng and nearby areas held a rally yesterday that blocked the Ratchada Road to Khao Yai National Park, in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district.
The protesters demanded that an extension of the Ratchata Road from kilometres 2-8 be completed, and threatened to use more severe action if the authorities did not give a "positive response" within three days.
The road widening was put on hold by the prime minister over concerns about its impact on trees and animals in the area.
The protesters gathered in front of Wat Pongkrasang at the 7km marker. They said they wanted the road widened as soon as possible to ease traffic and avoid problems such as accidents and rainwater flooding roadside homes and shops.
The group blocked the road for an hour, causing a 5km-long traffic jam, to state their case before disbanding.
Bong Krasang villager Suriwimon Udomdech said most local residents were affected because their homes were alongside the road and dust from the unfinished project blew into their homes. The removal of roadside light-poles also made travelling at night risky, she said, and when it rained some parts of the under-construction road subsided and muddy water poured into people's homes as drainage pipes had been dug up.