Thai Villagers Dig in for Long Sit-in and Ask for Compensation for Dam Project Inundated Land by Phairath Khampha 27 October 2001 Thirty Thai villagers protesting against a dam in Chaiyaphum vowed to continue their sit-in at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment until they get compensation for inundated land. The protesters, whose sit-in entered started on October 12, 2001, said they represented 627 villagers affected by the Lam Pa Thao dam in Chaiyaphum. The dam was built in 1991. Most compensation money ends up being siphoned off or otherwise frittered away by corrupt offocials and politicians who are behind these projects that are very lucrative for contractors and politicians. The villagers were originally living in Muang, Kaeng Khro and Kaset Sombun districts. Their 8,900 rai (1 rai = 1,600 m2) of land was inundated when the dam reservoir started filling up. Damrong Boonchalard, a protest leader, said villagers had asked the Department of Energy Development and Promotion, the developer, for help, but had received no response. Farmer Sawaeng Latchantuk, 69, said it was against his peace-loving nature to protest against the government. "We have been obedient villagers. We don't want to act like the Assembly of the Poor, who camped in front of Government House. But we cannot tolerate the state's negligence of our plight," he said. A spokesman for the developer said the agency did not compensate villagers because their land had been made public property under the care of the Forestry Department. This was a convenient switch in the land status made by politicians and officials so that they would not have to pay compensation to the people whose lives their activities devastated. A normal tactic in corrupt Thailand. The villagers came forward after learning that the Chavalit Yongchaiyudh government in 1997 compensated villagers on public land who were affected by state projects such as the Pak Moon and Rasi Salai dams. They demanded 447 million baht, but talks with the developer and provincial authorities brought the amount down to 197 million baht. Siriporn Sailasutr, DEDP secretary-general, said the agency was processing compensation requests on a case-by-case basis.