The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has bowed to a protest against its plan to allow 100 rai of its Wing 23 airfield, dubbed Seri Thai World War II Airport, in Kalasin's Na Khu district to be used for a sugar cane cultivation project.
Wing 23 agreed to terminate the project, Naruenat Muangsaen, chief of Na Khu district office, said on Tuesday, citing an agreement reached during talks with the protesting group.
Instead, Wing 23 has agreed to allow Na Khu Hospital to use a further 25 rai of its land for expansion, and also donate more for a new public park to be built in memory of the late Princess Srinagarindra.
Formal written permission is expected in the next two days, said the district chief.
Bamrung Khayotha, a representative of the local group and also a former leader of the Assembly of the Poor, said there had been concern among locals that the sugar cane project was highly dubious and may have been exploited so private investors could exploit state land.
This project also posed a risk to the history of the Seri Thai World War II Airport, he said.
RTAF spokesman, VM Prapas Sonjaidee, dismissed the protesters' concerns about the sugar cane scheme, saying it had actually been intended for low-ranking air force officers, not any outside parties.
Neither would the RTAF welfare project have caused any negative impact on the historic airport as it was designed to use only space around the runways, not inside the airport, he said.
Prior to their success in seeing the project finally terminated, the protesters had begun gathering in large numbers outside Na Khun district office on Monday.
This prompted the negotiations with Wing 23 officials.
