Mae Hong Son SAOs petition PM over forest land and river pollution

Khaosod•Society•19d ago

Reader Briefing

Mae Hong Son Subdistrict Administrative Organizations petitioned the Prime Minister and relevant ministers to resolve infrastructure constraints in forest zones and heavy metal pollution in the Salween River.

•Phongpiphat Meebenjamas, President of Mae Sam Laep SAO, represented the Mae Hong Son SAO team in submitting requests to the government.
•The request was made during a seminar held by the Thailand Subdistrict Administrative Organization Association from August 5-7, 2026.
•The team is seeking a review of Cabinet resolutions and laws that prevent infrastructure development in forest-protected areas.
•The team requested the government to address heavy metal contamination in the Salween River.

Overview

•Between August 5-7, 2026, the Thailand Subdistrict Administrative Organization Association organized a seminar in Chonburi province.
•The Mae Hong Son SAO team submitted a letter to the Prime Minister and relevant ministers regarding three primary issues.
•98% of the area in Mae Hong Son province is legally designated as forest land.
•6,743 approved projects cannot be implemented or repaired due to restrictions under the National Reserved Forest Act, National Park Act, and Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act.
•Phongpiphat Meebenjamas requested the cancellation of the Cabinet resolution dated June 23, 2020, or the issuance of a Royal Decree to allow infrastructure development in forest areas.
•Phongpiphat Meebenjamas petitioned the Minister of Transport for the Department of Rural Roads to improve highway MS.3004 in Mae Sam Laep subdistrict.
•The Pollution Control Department and Chiang Mai University's Environmental Science Research Center found continuously high levels of heavy metal contamination in the Salween River.
•The Mae Hong Son SAO team urged the government to resolve the Salween River pollution and disclose the information to the public.

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Key Quotes

Phongpiphat Meebenjamas

"Mae Hong Son is very desolate; people live with great difficulty, and there are still many villages without concrete or asphalt roads."

แม่ฮ่องสอนมีความกันดารเป็นอย่างมาก ประชาชนใช้ชีวิตด้วยความยากลำบาก ยังมีหมู่บ้านอีกจำนวนมากที่ไม่มีถนนคอนกรีตหรือถนนลาดยาง

Key Entities

Person

Phongpiphat Meebenjamas(พงษ์พิพัฒน์ มีเบญจมาศ)

President of the Mae Sam Laep Subdistrict Administrative Organization in Sob Moei District, Mae Hong Son Province.

Organization

Mae Sam Laep Subdistrict Administrative Organization(องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลแม่สามแลบ)

A local administrative organization in Sob Moei District, Mae Hong Son Province.

Thailand Subdistrict Administrative Organization Association(สมาคมองค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลแห่งประเทศไทย)

The organization that hosted the seminar on local administration to handle current world crises.

Department of Rural Roads(กรมทางหลวงชนบท)ℹ️

The agency requested to improve highway MS.3004.

Pollution Control Department(กรมควบคุมมลพิษ)ℹ️

An agency that inspected surface water and soil sediment quality in the Salween River.

Environmental Science Research Center of Chiang Mai University(ศูนย์วิจัยวิทยาศาสตร์สิ่งแวดล้อมของมหาวิทยาลัยเชียงใหม่)

An entity that conducted inspections of water and sediment quality in the Salween River.

Place

Mae Hong Son(แม่ฮ่องสอน)ℹ️

A province where 98% of the area is legally designated as forest land.

Nong Nooch Pattaya International Convention and Exhibition Center(ศูนย์ประชุมและแสดงสินค้านานาชาตินงนุชพัทยา)

The venue in Chonburi province where the SAO seminar was held.

Chonburi(ชลบุรี)ℹ️

The province where the SAO seminar took place.

Salween River(แม่น้ำสาละวิน)ℹ️

A river experiencing high levels of heavy metal contamination.

Law

National Reserved Forest Act(พ.ร.บ.ป่าสงวนแห่งชาติ)

A law that restricts infrastructure development in forest areas.

National Park Act(พ.ร.บ.อุทยานแห่งชาติ)

A law that restricts infrastructure development in forest areas.

Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act(พ.ร.บ.สงวนและคุ้มครองสัตวป่า)

A law that restricts infrastructure development in forest areas.

Policy

Cabinet Resolution of June 23, 2020(มติ ครม. 23 มิถุนายน 2563)

A government resolution that the Mae Hong Son SAO team requested to be cancelled or reviewed.