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Conservation Group with the sole purpose to promote the
conservation of forests, natural resources, environment, community

culture and traditional values. The community strongly objected
the lignite-mining project due to its severe impacts on heath and
livelihoods of people.

Despite the opposition, the Ministry of Industry granted a
mining concession to Khiao Lueang Co. Ltd. in August 2015. On 22

October 2015, 386 villagers submitted their complaint to Chiang Mai
Administrative Court requesting for the revocation of the concession
permit and a temporary halt of mining activities in the village. As the
exploration permit expired in August 2016, it was expected that the

tension between the company and the state agencies on the one side,
and the community on the other side would escalate even further.

Rak Ban Haeng Subdistrict Administrative Organization,
however, made a false report claiming that the villagers had consented
to the project even though they never made such decision. Over the

period, there had never been any community hearing on the lignite
mining permit request. It was also found that the permission to use
over one thousand rai of forest was illegally given. At the same time,

the report on the investigation of the mining area did not specify the
routes, both on water and land, which the villagers used to benefit
from these resources.

The fight of Rak Ban Haeng Conservation Group began in order
to demand their rightful say on mining concession issue. The group
comprises of over 1,000 men and women. Since the male members

were constrained by their role as income earners outside the
community, women became the front line of the struggle.

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